Micah McCartney of Newsweek reports that China’s new drone “mothership,” the Jiu Tian, is set for a June test flight. Capable of launching up to 100 drones mid-air, it’s being hailed by state media as a breakthrough in drone warfare. However, experts warn that its large, non-stealthy design makes it vulnerable to modern air defenses, calling it more propaganda than a practical threat. McCartney writes:
China’s new drone “mothership” is set to take flight, according to the country’s state broadcaster, which touted the aircraft as a game changer in drone warfare.
Observers, however, have noted key vulnerabilities and said the behemoth, teased at China’s flagship air show in November, amounts to “propaganda.” […]
With a maximum payload of six tons, it can carry up to 100 small UAVs, including loitering drones—shown in a computer-animated promotional video pouring out of the plane like bees from a hive. […]
China’s Jiutian SS-UAV: Game-Changing “Drone Mothership” Set for Maiden Flight
China is preparing to test its next-generation unmanned aerial system, the Jiutian SS-UAV, a massive high-altitude “mothership” designed to deploy swarms of attack drones and precision-guided… pic.twitter.com/T89eNkP3Vx
— Indo-Pacific News – Geo-Politics & Defense (@IndoPac_Info) May 19, 2025
The “mothership” will conduct its first test flight at the end of June, CCTV reported.
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