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First flight of China鈥檚 giant drone carrier Jiu Tian signals PLA swarm capacity boost

December 13, 2025
Source:  
China鈥檚 massive aerial drone carrier the has completed its first flight, adding to the potential of the People鈥檚 Liberation Army (PLA).
 
The Jiu Tian, which is itself a large , took to the air for the first time in the northwestern province of Shaanxi, state news agency Xinhua said on Thursday. The report did not mention when this took place.
 
Designed by the First Aircraft Institute of the state-owned aerospace giant , the carrier drone 鈥渓everages independent, integrated technological innovation to deliver core advantages, including heavy payload capacity, high service ceiling, wide speed range and short take-off and landing capabilities鈥, according to Xinhua.
 

The flight signified a 鈥渂reakthrough in China鈥檚 large drone technology鈥, the report said.

The Jiu Tian made its debut at China鈥檚 premier Zhuhai air show in November last year. It can reportedly carry up to 100 loitering munitions or small drones, including kamikaze unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV). These can be deployed from both sides of the aircraft鈥檚 fuselage, extending its operational range.

It can also carry a range of payloads on eight hardpoints and is capable of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assignments, as well as electronic warfare.

Chinese military commentator and former PLA instructor Song Zhongping said this feature confirmed that the military-civilian dual-use aircraft would be a 鈥渄rone carrier鈥, enabling it to execute 鈥渟warm attacks鈥 that an adversary鈥檚 air defence system would be 鈥渦nable to defend against鈥.

He said the Jiu Tian鈥檚 鈥渟aturation strike capability鈥 would be key to breaching defences, enabling it to 鈥渃ounter enemy air defence interceptions through numerical superiority, and achieve denser penetration of specific targets鈥.
 

Song added that, with its flight ceiling reaching 15,000 metres (49,200 feet), the Jiu Tian could attack ground and maritime targets 鈥渇rom high to low, from fast to slow鈥 鈥 a capability he described as 鈥渦nique globally and highly forward-looking鈥.

The Jiu Tian measures 16.35 metres in length and has a wingspan of 25 metres, according to Xinhua. With a maximum take-off weight of 16 tonnes and a payload capacity of 6,000kg (13,220lbs), it can stay airborne for 12 hours and has a ferry range of 7,000km (4,350 miles), performance figures the report described as 鈥渞anking among the best in its class鈥.

The drone could be deployed across diverse 鈥渃ivilian applications,鈥 Xinhua said. This includes delivering heavy cargo and precision logistics 鈥渢o remote mountainous regions and islands鈥 as well as for 鈥渞apidly restoring communications and deploying disaster relief equipment during emergency rescue operations鈥. It can also perform geographic surveys, disaster assessment and mineral exploration.

Beijing is investing substantial resources in developing various types of drones, which are seen as playing a critical role in modern warfare and asymmetric combat 鈥 a capability already shown on the battlefield in Ukraine.

Drone operations are seen as pivotal in potential regional conflicts, including those in the Taiwan Strait.

The Jiu Tian adds to China鈥檚 stock of advanced drone technology, such as the stealth combat CH-7 and the medium-altitude . Some see it as a potential rival to the two dominant American drone models: the RQ-4 Global Hawk and the MQ-9 Reaper.
 

The Global Hawk can conduct advanced reconnaissance missions at altitudes of up to 18,000 metres and its maximum take-off weight is comparable to that of the Jiu Tian, although it lacks strike capabilities. The Reaper UAV is a medium-altitude, multipurpose aircraft with a maximum take-off weight of around 5 tonnes and designed for designed for multiple roles including reconnaissance and strike missions.