According to a report by the U.S. "Defense News" weekly, the latest satellite photos have confirmed that multiple GJ-11 "Lijian" stealth unmanned fighter jets have started operational deployment from August to September 2025. This makes the Attack-11 the world's first officially commissioned high-speed stealth unmanned attack aircraft with a flying wing configuration. Not only does it have excellent stealth capabilities, but its striking power is also not to be underestimated.

From the satellite images, three Attack-11 drones are parked at the Rikaze Air Force Base, two of which are commonly painted in gray, and one has a red-brown protective coating. This base is no ordinary place; it is located on a plateau at an altitude of nearly 3,800 meters, with a runway about 5,000 meters long, making it one of the longest airport runways in the world.

The Rikaze base is located in the southwest of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, only about 90 miles (approximately 145 kilometers) away from Sikkim, India. It is an important air hub for the Chinese People's Liberation Army on the southwestern border. In addition to fighter jets, early warning aircraft, and helicopters, it has gradually become a drone base, where high-altitude reconnaissance drones such as the "Rainbow" series and the WZ-7 "Changguanglong" are stationed here for a long time.

The Attack-11 uses a tailless flying wing layout, which effectively reduces radar cross-section. Military expert Fu Qianshao once commented that it is the best platform in terms of stealth performance among currently deployed stealth aircraft. Its intake is located at the nose, forming an S-shaped curve, and the engine exhaust is placed above the fuselage, with stealth treatment, thus minimizing infrared signals and making it difficult to detect.

This aircraft is equipped with two internal weapon bays, capable of carrying multiple glide-guided bombs, performing various combat missions such as air superiority strikes and air defense suppression. Thanks to its excellent stealth capabilities, the Attack-11 can operate even in the enemy's tightly defended defense system and high-threat environment, targeting high-value strategic objectives, fully capable of fulfilling the role of a "door-kicker" in modern warfare.

The design of the Attack-11 also reflects a diversified combat approach. It can choose to operate alone, transforming into a stealth bomber, or cooperate with stealth manned aircraft like the J-20S, even acting as a "faithful wingman," forming a stealth attack "wolf pack." In terms of air defense suppression, the Attack-11 can use its extreme stealth advantage to conduct precise strikes on deep targets outside the enemy's air defense area, quickly knocking out the enemy's air defense positions and radar nodes. This human-machine coordination combat model not only improves the survival probability of manned aircraft but also significantly enhances overall firepower output.

The deployment of the Attack-11 coincides with China's rapid development of flying wing UAV technology. From its first public appearance during a military parade to the super-large flying wing UAVs captured in satellite images, China has shown a trend of "multiple breakthroughs" in the development of this type of UAV.

Western media have pointed out that the speed and variety of China's flying wing UAV development are indeed astonishing. Unlike the United States, which abandoned similar designs years ago, China has successfully transitioned flying wing technology from experimental to practical use.

The U.S. military has been almost absent in this field—despite decades of research, they always abandoned their projects before mass production. However, China has continued to invest, developing various types of stealth flying wing UAVs.

The Attack-11 is just one representative of China's flying wing UAV family. Since 2025, at least three never-before-seen flying wing configuration UAVs have appeared in the western test bases of China. These UAVs are gradually moving from testing grounds to the border front lines, marking the official entry of China's flying wing UAV technology into a new phase of practical deployment. With more similar platforms being put into service, China's situational awareness and precision strike capabilities on the southwest border will achieve a qualitative leap.

Facing increasing aerial pressure on the border, India has already taken action. After the intense air battle between India and Pakistan in May 2025, the Indian government approved the emergency procurement of a batch of new air defense and counter-terrorism equipment.

The Indian Ministry of Defense signed 13 contracts with a total amount of 19.82 billion rupees. The main part was the procurement of the "Integrated Drone Detection and Interception System" and the "Low Altitude Light Radar." The Indian Ministry of Defense stated that these equipment were procured through a fast-track procedure, aiming to enhance the situational awareness, lethality, mobility, and protection capabilities of deployed forces in counter-terrorism environments.

However, to effectively counter high-end stealth platforms like the Attack-11, India needs to establish a radar network for anti-stealth detection centered around meter-wave radars. At present, only China has the capability to build such an air defense system. Therefore, for India, the existence of the Attack-11 will be a challenge that is difficult to deal with for a long time in the future, and the pressure will only continue to increase.

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7559828290475770368/

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