The People's Liberation Army Navy (PLA) announced that it has successfully conducted the first flight and landing of an unmanned fighter from its new Type 076 aircraft carrier. This test involved the launch and landing of the unmanned fighter Hongdu GJ-21 and helped confirm initial assessments by analysts regarding the design of the Type 076 carrier.
Specifications of the Type 076 Carrier
The Type 076 carrier has a flight deck approximately 850 feet long and 170 feet wide, making it larger than the America-class carriers of the United States Navy, but smaller than a full-sized aircraft carrier. This carrier features two elevators on the left and right sides to manage high aircraft traffic, as well as a floating deck at the rear for launching and landing landing craft.
This carrier was launched in December 2024 and conducted its first sea trials in November 2025. According to the PLA, over the past year, this ship has been successfully conducting "various sea trials as planned, successfully performing repairs and overall operational stability tests."
Details of the Unmanned Fighter Flight
The test flight of the first unmanned fighter of the GJ-21 type, which is a naval version of the GJ-11 design, was conducted. This choice was not surprising, as simulations related to this fighter have been seen in satellite images from the CSSC Hudong Zhonghua shipyard for several years. The GJ-11 fighter, which has an older design, made its first flight in 2013 and, due to its approximate weight of 20,000 pounds, can utilize the catapult system.
In other areas of the Chinese Navy, this fighter is expected to be used in the role of "loyal wingman" alongside manned fighters. However, it is unclear whether the Type 076 will be able to support operations of unmanned fighters and manned aircraft. According to Song Zhongping, a military expert, the Type 076 may temporarily use manned aircraft for testing purposes.
Given that this carrier is equipped with electromagnetic catapult technology, it could assist the Chinese Navy in testing concepts of manned and unmanned team operations for future uses. This could be related to the development of larger and more advanced aircraft carriers like the Type 003, which features electromagnetic catapult systems.
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