New footage shows China’s stealth combat drone in active use

The Chinese Air Force has released new official footage of the GJ-11 uncrewed combat air vehicle, marking the first time the aircraft has been shown both inside a hangar and conducting flight operations.

The video, recently published by Chinese state media, includes scenes of the flying-wing drone operating alongside a J-20S stealth fighter, underscoring its intended role as part of China’s advanced air combat formations.

According to the material released, the GJ-11 has also been given an official designation by the People’s Liberation Army Air Force, known as Xuanlong, translated by Chinese media as “Fantasy Dragon.” The footage follows its earlier public appearance in September during a military parade in Beijing, where a full-scale model of the aircraft was displayed.

The GJ-11 has been in development for more than a decade. A prototype with a more basic low-observable layout reportedly conducted its first flight in 2013. The newly shown aircraft features a more refined flying-wing design intended to reduce radar visibility. The video depicts the drone in what appears to be a routine training environment, signaling that the system is no longer confined to experimental testing and has entered operational service with the Chinese Air Force.

The GJ-11 is intended to operate alongside the J-20, China’s primary stealth fighter. The pairing reflects a broader shift toward what defense officials in China have described as “manned-unmanned teaming,” integrating remotely operated aircraft to expand the reach, strike capacity, and survivability of crewed fighter formations. In this concept, the uncrewed system conducts missions such as surveillance, electronic attack, or direct strikes, reducing the risk to the fighter and its pilot.

The GJ-11 is frequently compared to Russia’s S-70 “Okhotnik” unmanned combat aircraft, which was also intended to operate in coordination with the Su-57 fighter. However, while the S-70 remains at the testing stage, Chinese media presented the GJ-11 as already moving through its operational deployment process. The recent release emphasizes that the system is now part of active training cycles rather than demonstration flights.

The footage also suggests that the GJ-11 is housed in dedicated infrastructure and maintained as part of standard squadron-level operations. The aircraft is shown taxiing, taking off, and flying in controlled formation. However, the promotional video did not include details regarding weapons configurations, range, onboard sensors, or satellite guidance, and no performance specifications were listed. The presentation instead focused on the presence of the aircraft and its place within the strategic vision of the Chinese Air Force.

In a broader context, the release of this footage comes at a time when multiple air forces, including those of the United States, Europe, and the Indo-Pacific region, are developing uncrewed combat aircraft that complement crewed stealth fighters. For U.S. audiences, the closest analog would be the emerging “collaborative combat aircraft” concepts tied to platforms such as the F-22 and F-35, where unmanned systems could carry sensors or weapons, scout ahead of fighters, or draw enemy defenses.