China’s Unmanned Airborne Drone Carrier, Jetank Completes Maiden Flight

China’s Airborne UAV carrier drone, Jetank completed its maiden flight on Thursday in Northwest China’s Shaanxi Province.

The successful flight marks a new breakthrough in China’s large unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology, the People’s Daily reported, citing the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC).

The Jetank drone is 16.35 meters long, has a wingspan of 25 meters, a maximum takeoff weight of 16 tons, a payload capacity of 6,000 kilograms, an endurance of 12 hours, and a ferry range of 7,000 kilometers, ranking its performance among the top of similar products, the People’s Daily reported.

According to the People’s Daily report, with modular mission payloads, the Jetank drone can be widely adapted to a wide range of military civilian applications, including carrying a swarm of attack drones and releasing them from a height to maximize range.

The Jetank drone has eight hardpoints and can carry 1,000 kilogram-class guided bombs, air-to-air missiles, air-to-ground missiles, anti-ship missiles and loitering munitions.

It can transport heavy supplies and providing precise logistics support to remote mountainous areas and islands.

The Jetank heavy unmanned aerial vehicle was first unveiled at the Airshow China 2024 in Zhuhai, South China’s Guangdong Province. It can switch mission types within two hours to meet operational requirements such as airdrop and airlift, information support and countermeasures, and strike-and-support missions. It is suitable for both military and civilian use including systematic operations, transportation support, and emergency rescue.

A standout feature of the Jetank UAV is the integration of a sophisticated isomerism-hive module within its fuselage. Capable of accommodating hundreds of loitering munitions or small drones, this mission pod has earned the Jetank the nickname “airborne UAV carrier,” according to the CCTV News report.