China unveiled a close-up of a stealth strike drone the US gave up on
Loosely resembling a B-2 bomber, the Gongji-11 is meant to hit ground targets such as command posts while being able to team up with fighter jets.
China has released the first detailed footage of the GJ-11 strike drone, a stealth platform designed to hit ground targets deep behind enemy lines. The People's Liberation Army Air Force unveiled the high-end drone, also known as Gongji-11 or Strike-11, at a national day parade in Beijing in 2019. The large, 47-foot wingspan drone features a stealthy flying-wing shape and is designed to work alongside fighter jets, acting as a "loyal wingman."
The GJ-11 can carry multiple guided bombs and precision-strike munitions, making it capable of striking fortified ground targets like command posts or air defenses. State media have described the drone as having twin bay doors with sawtooth edges to break up radar signals and a nose-mounted electro-optical and infrared sensor similar to those on fifth-generation fighter jets.
The drone's turbofan engines are tucked inside its body, and its ground crews were seen monitoring and controlling it during live-fire strike tests. While China claims the GJ-11 is a stand-alone strike platform, it is primarily designed to be a loyal wingman for crewed fighter jets, guiding it to high-value targets. The US had explored similar stealth drones, but ultimately shifted focus to developing refueler aircraft and Collaborative Combat Aircraft to support fighter jets.
Russia is also developing its own stealth deep-strike drone, the Sukhoi S-70 Okhotnik-B, which is currently in an earlier stage of development.
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