Attack-11 works in coordination with J-20 and J-16D
Recently, the official account of the People's Liberation Army Air Force released a short film "Mengyuan", which for the first time publicly showed the flight footage of the Attack-11 drone and demonstrated its mixed formation and coordinated training scenarios with the J-20 and J-16D, drawing widespread attention.
The Attack-11 drone was first unveiled at the 2019 military parade. The aircraft adopts a classic tailless flying wing aerodynamic layout, with serrated cabin doors and embedded sensors, which significantly reduce the radar cross-sectional area, highlighting its stealth performance.
However, since its stunning debut in 2019, there have been few public reports about the Attack-11. During this period, with the confirmation of the electromagnetic catapult technology of the Fujian aircraft carrier and the progress of the 076 amphibious assault ship project, the outside world widely speculated that the Attack-11 might develop into a carrier-based drone model, but so far this speculation still lacks sufficient official confirmation.
The footage of the Attack-11 working in coordination with the J-20 and J-16D in the short film "Mengyuan" conveys an important signal: the Chinese Air Force is accelerating the construction of the "manned aircraft + drone" collaborative combat system.
From a global perspective, the collaboration between manned aircraft and drones has been generally regarded as the core mode of future air combat, but the actual development process has been difficult.
The U.S. Navy launched an unmanned combat aircraft project as early as 2000, and the X-47B demonstrator made its first flight in 2011, creating multiple "firsts" in the history of drone development.
However, due to factors such as budget overruns, technical bottlenecks, and strategic adjustments, the X-47B program was terminated in 2016. Afterward, the U.S. Navy turned to developing the MQ-25 "Stingray" carrier-based refueling drone, while the U.S. Air Force focused on the "Unmanned Combat Aircraft Program" (CCA). However, the two drones in the first phase of this program only completed test flights recently.
Russia is another country actively building up its capabilities in operational drones. Its "Hunter" drone (S-70) has produced several prototype units and has been deployed on the battlefield in Ukraine alongside a small number of Su-57 fighters for field testing - however, there is currently no evidence that these two aircraft have achieved mass production or formed a systematized combat capability.
In comparison, China's progress in high-end combat drones is more significant.
The Attack-11 is a stealth drone designed specifically for high-threat battlefield environments, with strong capabilities for covert penetration. It can execute tasks such as reconnaissance, surveillance, decoy, and precise strikes in high-risk areas under the command of manned aircraft.
For example, in the envisioned collaborative system, the J-20 can act as the command center and key attack node, the J-16D is responsible for electromagnetic suppression, and the Attack-11 carries out high-risk missions deep behind enemy lines, effectively combining the tactical decision-making advantages of pilots with the low cost and expendability of drones.
This "manned command, unmanned execution" combat model not only significantly expands the perception and strike range of aircraft, but also greatly reduces the operational risks of manned platforms and pilots in a highly confrontational environment.
The mixed formation and coordinated training scenes presented in the short film "Mengyuan" fully indicate that the Chinese Air Force has moved beyond the conceptual verification stage in this field and entered a more practically meaningful implementation phase.
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1848490398157900/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author.