--- title: "China’s Stealthy GJ-11 ‘Mysterious Dragon’ Soars Out Of The Shadows" description: "The GJ-11 unmanned combat air vehicle has a new name and has been officially shown flying alongside J-20 and J-16D fighters. The drone, now named Mysterious Dragon, is shown accompanied by J-20 and J-16D crewed combat aircraft." date: "2025-11-11" modified: "2025-11-11" authors: - name: "Thomas Newdick" job_title: "Staff Writer" link: "https://www.twz.com/authors/thomas-newdick.md" url: "https://www.twz.com/air/chinas-gj-11-mysterious-dragon-stealth-drone-soars-out-of-the-shadows" categories: - "Air" - "Air Forces" - "Drones" - "News & Features" - "People's Liberation Army Air Force (China)" - "Stealth" - "UCAVs" - "Unmanned" --- # China’s Stealthy GJ-11 ‘Mysterious Dragon’ Soars Out Of The Shadows ![A month after the emergence of satellite imagery that showed GJ-11 Sharp Sword stealthy flying-wing uncrewed combat air vehicles (UCAV) in an apparently semi-operational state, China has released the first air-to-air video of the drone. China also revealed that the official People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) name for the GJ-11 is Mysterious Dragon.]() *Chinese internet* A month after the emergence of satellite imagery that showed [GJ-11]() stealthy flying-wing uncrewed combat air vehicles (UCAV) in at least a semi-operational state, China has released the first air-to-air video of the drone — and, as far as we know, the first official imagery of any kind showing the real aircraft. China also revealed that the official People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) name for the GJ-11 is Mysterious Dragon, alternatively translated as Fantasy Dragon. This appears to have superseded the Sharp Sword name that was previously applied, and which likely referred to prototype and pre-production aircraft. https://twitter.com/OSPSF/status/1988113011375272205?s=20 The development comes a little over a year after [*TWZ* reported in detail]() on growing evidence of the GJ-11 moving ever closer to operational status. ![]() *A GJ-11 emerges from a hangar in the PLAAF video. *Chinese internet** ![]() *An overhead view of the GJ-11 in the same video. *Chinese internet** ![]() *The GJ-11 takes off. *Chinese internet** The GJ-11 entered development more than a decade ago and is widely assessed to [be designed to perform]() both penetrating air-to-surface strike and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions. It may well also be expected to take on other roles, including air-to-air combat and electronic warfare. UCAVs of this size have long endurance, much longer than crewed tactical jet counterparts, while still carrying a relevant payload. The air-to-air footage and other clips of the GJ-11 appear toward the end of a nearly 30-minute video released by the PLAAF to commemorate the 76th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Liberation Army. The video notably includes the GJ-11 flying in formation with a [J-20 stealth fighter]() and a [J-16D electronic attack aircraft](). One sequence also shows, apparently for the first time, a J-20 launching a medium-range air-to-air missile, likely a [PL-15](), fired from its internal weapons bay. https://twitter.com/DavidWangPLA/status/1988130099959603512?s=20 Showing the drone aloft with these two crewed combat jets is notable and not just as they represent two of the most modern and capable designs in the PLAAF inventory. In particular, both [the J-16]() and (two-seat versions of) the J-20 have been considered as likely ‘airborne drone controllers’ for types like the GJ-11. ![]() *Screenshot* China certainly has a great interest in having drones work [alongside crewed platforms](), as well as to [operate cooperatively](), and potentially do so with [a high degree of autonomy](). As [*TWZ* has highlighted for several years]() now, the [two-seat variant of the J-20]() would be an ideal candidate as an airborne drone controller. https://twitter.com/HenriKenhmann/status/1580279637506228224?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1580279637506228224%7Ctwgr%5E0c51255fa7cc4c555336700b7a04c5186cd4aaf6%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.twz.com%2Fair%2Fchinas-stealth-sharp-sword-unmanned-combat-air-vehicles-deployed-to-operational-airbase Some observers have taken the footage as confirmation that the GJ-11 is now in operational service with the PLAAF. While the video alone is not enough to determine that the drone is in operational use, especially not in any truly meaningful way, it’s another sign that this milestone is fast approaching, if it hasn’t already been attained. Last month, [we reported on satellite imagery]() showing three GJ-11s at Shigatse Air Base, in China’s Tibet Autonomous Region, where they were present from August 6 through September 5. The appearance of the UCAVs at this very active dual-use military-civilian airport was a strong indicator that they were now in operational test, at least, if not operational service. In particular, the base is in a strategic position along China’s southwestern flank with India, close to some [of the border areas]() that have [seen sometimes violent skirmishes]() between the two nations. ![]() *A trio of GJ-11s, as well as other drones, seen at Shigatse Air Base in a satellite image taken on August 6, 2025. *PHOTO © 2025 PLANET LABS INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. REPRINTED BY PERMISSION** A prototype of the GJ-11 was [first flown in 2013](), in a much less stealthy form. The design was then considerably refined, and a mockup of the new-look version appeared [at a parade in Beijing in 2019](). It now featured major improvements in terms of low observability, including a completely redesigned rear aspect with a stealthier exhaust. Prior to being spotted at Shigatse, and now in the PLAAF video, the GJ-11 was primarily known through its appearances at various test facilities. Such locations have included the enormous and secretive base at [Malan]() in Xinjiang province, where examples of the UCAV have been regularly seen flying [for more than a year now](). Mockups have also been included in parades and have been [spotted at Chinese naval]() test and [training facilities](). ![]() *A GJ-11 mockup was included in the massive Chinese military parade in Beijing on September 3, 2025. *Chinese internet** China clearly has aspirations to operate the drone, or a version of it, from [aircraft carriers]() and [big deck amphibious assault ships](), and the continued work on [a naval variant or derivative capable]() of doing this has led to a string of unofficial designations, including GJ-11H, GJ-11J, and GJ-21. https://twitter.com/RupprechtDeino/status/1737149620097012039?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1737149620097012039%7Ctwgr%5E0c51255fa7cc4c555336700b7a04c5186cd4aaf6%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.twz.com%2Fair%2Fchinas-stealth-sharp-sword-unmanned-combat-air-vehicles-deployed-to-operational-airbase https://twitter.com/louischeung_hk/status/1446158566633598983?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1446158566633598983%7Ctwgr%5E0c51255fa7cc4c555336700b7a04c5186cd4aaf6%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.twz.com%2Fair%2Fchinas-stealth-sharp-sword-unmanned-combat-air-vehicles-deployed-to-operational-airbase More recently, a navalized version of the drone appeared in flight, [with its arrester hook lowered](), as seen in the imagery below. https://twitter.com/RupprechtDeino/status/1984522787860439211 Whatever way the PLA intends to employ it, the GJ-11 further underscores just how seriously China is taking the development of [flying-wing uncrewed aircraft](), an area that is currently the beneficiary of [heavy investment](). As we have repeatedly discussed in the past, this approach is very much at odds with [the U.S. military’s eschewing of such designs](), with very little evidence of parallel activities, at [least publicly](). The puzzling case of America’s ‘missing’ UCAVs is something you can read more about in [this past *TWZ* feature](). ![]() *A pair of GJ-11s seen at Malan on July 18, 2024. *PHOTO © 2024 PLANET LABS INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. REPRINTED BY PERMISSION** In the meantime, other countries are putting more resources into flying-wing UCAV programs, among them [Russia](), [India](), [Turkey](), and [France](). Another Chinese stealthy flying-wing drone, the [CH-7](), has meanwhile been seen for the first time in the air, in unofficial footage captured from the ground. Compared to the drone when it was seen previously on the ground, the videos showing the drone in flight reveal that it has been fitted with additional outward-canted vertical tail surfaces. Attachment points for these tailfins appear to be present in previous imagery of the drone; likely, they are intended for testing purposes, as part of envelope expansion. https://twitter.com/RupprechtDeino/status/1988216722923680078?s=20 While the CH-7 remains generally mysterious, it is notably large and is another pointer toward [China’s accelerated efforts to develop]() low-observable, long-endurance drones. The CH-7 appears likely to be tailored for ISR, but there have been claims that it will also undertake strike missions as a UCAV. Similar in configuration to the CH-7, but significantly larger, are two other flying-wing drones, both of which were spotted at Malan. In both cases, [*TWZ* was first]() to [report on these larger drones](). https://twitter.com/PLA_MilitaryUpd/status/1988221863089369132?s=20 Combined, the new videos of the GJ-11 and the CH-7 reflect something that *TWZ* has long predicted, namely that China has invested very heavily in flying-wing drones, for both land-based and naval applications. In the case of the GJ-11, in particular, its path toward becoming a feature of regular PLAAF operations should come as no surprise, and it seems certain that other Chinese flying-wing drones and UCAVs will follow the same path. *Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com* ## Author Thomas Newdick is a staff writer at *TWZ*, where he covers military aviation, defense technology, weapons systems, and international security. Based in Berlin, Germany, he reports on conflicts, military modernization efforts, and emerging aerospace technologies around the world, with a particular interest in airpower and its role in contemporary warfare. His reporting is informed by deep expertise in modern and historical airpower, particularly in Europe, with a focus on military aviation, air campaigns, and aerospace developments across the continent and beyond. Over a journalism career spanning more than 25 years, Thomas has become known for making complex defense and aerospace topics accessible to a broad audience. His reporting combines technical expertise, historical context, and a focus on the real-world operational and strategic implications of military developments. ### Author social links [Twitter]()