Just lately, a picture emerged exhibiting a really massive, stealthy flying-wing plane in Chinese language airspace. The id of this plane has not been definitively confirmed, but it surely shares many traits with the massive drone recognized in satellite tv for pc photographs earlier this summer time.
The newly launched picture exhibits the drone from the rear, with its touchdown gear deployed, major wheel doorways open, and cut up trailing-edge flaps just like these of the B-2 bomber, all per takeoff or touchdown configurations.
From this angle, the blended wing-body construction features a broad central part with a totally flat higher floor. The picture exhibits no cockpit, though its presence can’t be fully dominated out. The form of the central part additionally suggests the plane is probably going twin-engine, with slim, slit-like exhausts, although the picture high quality prevents exact element identification.
May the Unidentified Drone Be the WZ-X?
Though not definitive, it’s doable that this unidentified plane is identical drone seen earlier this 12 months in satellite tv for pc photographs from a secret Chinese language testing base in Xinjiang. Satellite tv for pc imagery from Might 14, 2025, indicated a wingspan of roughly 52 meters, practically equal to the 52.4-meter wingspan of the U.S. B-2 Spirit bomber. Since these photographs had been launched, some observers have quickly referred to this drone because the WZ-X.
Each the brand new plane and the drone noticed in Might have lengthy, slender wings, longer than these of the stealth flying-wing CH-7 drone. The CH-7 has a deeper central fuselage, whereas the central part of the newly sighted drone seems flatter. The CH-7 can be considerably smaller than the WZ-X. Nonetheless, design modifications to the CH-7 can not rule out the event of a brand new variant.
Two possible WZ-X options should not clearly seen within the new picture: first, a dome-like construction on prime of the central fuselage, and second, potential small angled vertical fins for stability. The drone might have retractable fins, however shadows and picture distortion forestall certainty.
Curiously, each this new drone and the WZ-X share similarities with a flying-wing plane noticed over the Philippines in 2021. No matter this potential connection, the scale and visible traits recommend the brand new plane belongs to the identical class, although precise dimensions stay undetermined; comparisons of touchdown gear and fuselage point out its very massive dimension. China is at present creating a spread of stealth flying-wing drones of various sizes, with the WZ-X being the biggest up to now.
Based mostly on observations, this plane is probably going a high-altitude, long-endurance (HALE) stealth drone, just like the U.S. RQ-180, with extraordinarily elongated wings designed for sustained long-duration flights at excessive altitudes. The central part, though shallow, is vast and certain supplies vital quantity for sensor methods. Its main mission might be wide-area reconnaissance and surveillance slightly than offensive operations, whereas additionally accommodating beyond-line-of-sight communication methods.
Launch of Pictures at a Key Second
The timing of the picture launch is noteworthy. In latest weeks, a number of photographs from China have leaked, exhibiting new fighters, drones, floor methods, missiles, and naval gear, largely associated to the massive navy parade on September 3, marking the eightieth anniversary of China’s victory over Japan in World Conflict II.
It stays unclear whether or not this unidentified drone will take part within the parade, however the timing of the picture launch appears deliberate. Related photographs of recent plane have beforehand emerged throughout take a look at flights at manufacturing facility airfields.
Regardless of the various similarities between this plane and the WZ-X, confirming the connection would require extra time. What is obvious is China’s willpower to develop massive stealth drones as a part of its future air fight ecosystem. Along with these drones, China is pursuing different key tasks, together with the three-engine J-36 fighter, the J-XDS fighter, a number of tactical manned jets, and a rising fleet of loyal companion drones for cooperative operations.
Moreover, the stealth H-20 bomber, which has but to be unveiled and is probably going a flying-wing design, stays one in every of these secretive tasks. General, the discharge of this picture highlights the accelerating improvement of China’s next-generation air fight packages, possible together with a number of massive, stealthy, flying-wing designs with excessive endurance capabilities.
