China's new 'drone mothership' can launch 100 kamikaze UAVs: Should the West be concerned?

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20-05-2025

China is preparing to test Jiu Tian, a massive unmanned aerial mothership capable of releasing over 100 drones in coordinated swarm attacks. With stealth capabilities, high-altitude endurance and modular strike payloads, the system may redefine drone warfare read more
Jiu Tian is reportedly capable of releasing a swarm of 100 drones that can work together and overwhelm the enemy's air defence systems. Representational Image/X
China is preparing to launch a game-changing addition to its military arsenal: the Jiu Tian, a high-altitude, long-range unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) designed to function as an airborne mothership for drone swarms.
With its maiden flight expected as early as June this year, the Jiu Tian – which translates to 'High Sky' or 'Nine Heavens' – marks a significant leap forward in drone warfare capabilities .
The massive aerial platform, referred to by observers as a 'drone mothership,' has been designed to launch coordinated swarms of over 100 smaller drones, including loitering munitions and kamikaze UAVs, in a single sortie.
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The aircraft is poised to act as an airborne command node, capable of conducting strike missions, surveillance, reconnaissance and electronic warfare at high altitudes beyond the reach of many modern air defence systems.
Experts believe the drone's deployment could alter the balance of aerial power, especially in strategically sensitive regions like the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea.
Developed by the private Chinese aerospace firm Jiutian and first revealed publicly at the 2024 Zhuhai Airshow, the Jiu Tian is part of China's fast-paced effort to field next-generation unmanned systems.
Its imminent test flight will mark a milestone in Beijing's broader military modernisation campaign.
What we know about the Jiu Tian
Jiu Tian is a fifth-generation unmanned aircraft that falls under the category of High-Altitude Long-Endurance (HALE) platforms.
With a take-off weight of 16 tonnes and a 25-metre wingspan, it can carry up to six tonnes of payload — including precision-guided weapons, reconnaissance equipment and more than 100 smaller drones — across a range of up to 7,000 kilometres (4,350 miles).
Designed to operate at altitudes reaching 15,000 metres (50,000 feet), the jet-powered UAV has been constructed with both stealth and versatility in mind.
Its altitude capability allows it to fly above many radar systems deployed around the world, increasing its survivability and enhancing its potential as a force multiplier in contested environments.
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The aircraft reportedly features eight external hardpoints for carrying a diverse array of payloads. These include surveillance drones, kamikaze UAVs, cruise missiles and medium-range air-to-air missiles such as the PL-12E.
According to the manufacturer, the Jiu Tian's interior has a modular design, which allows for rapid reconfiguration depending on the mission — whether it involves military strike operations, border defence, public security, maritime surveillance, emergency rescue or high-risk logistics transport.
What is unique about the Jiu Tian
One of the defining features of Jiu Tian is its capacity to deploy coordinated swarms of micro-UAVs. A video released on Chinese state media showcases the aircraft ejecting dozens of small drones simultaneously from both sides of its fuselage.
China's Jiutian super-high altitude, long endurance drone.
With an flight ceiling of 15km, this drone can fly ABOVE the operation ceiling of pretty much all air defense systems.
Which means, once the PLA air force gains air superiority over an area, this drone will be able to… pic.twitter.com/iQea6GA9b0 — China Perspective (@China_Fact) May 18, 2025
Once airborne, these drones are intended to act in unison, sharing data and executing missions autonomously or semi-autonomously.
When fully operational, the aircraft is expected to deploy drone swarms to overwhelm enemy defences through saturation tactics.
These drones could conduct simultaneous attacks on radars, communication infrastructure, or troop concentrations, making it difficult for defenders to mount an effective response.
This capability represents a major evolution in the application of UAVs in modern warfare. Rather than focusing solely on individual drone strikes or reconnaissance, the new platform is designed to coordinate and launch large-scale swarm attacks — an approach that is becoming increasingly central to military doctrine worldwide.
The big question: Should we be worried?
The timing and nature of Jiu Tian's development are drawing global attention, particularly as tensions continue to rise in the Indo-Pacific.
China's assertive posture toward Taiwan — which Beijing views as a breakaway province — has fuelled concerns among analysts and policymakers about the regional applications of such advanced drone technology.
'Today, 80 years later, we share the same values and face similar challenges as many of the democracies that participated in the European war,' Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te said during a recent commemoration , pointing out the island's ongoing concerns about Chinese aggression.
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While the new UAV has yet to be deployed, its potential use in future flashpoints — particularly across the Taiwan Strait — could significantly complicate defence planning for the United States and its allies.
In such scenarios, a high-endurance mothership capable of launching kamikaze drone swarms could be used to disrupt radar systems, saturate air defences and maintain persistent strike capabilities without risking manned aircraft.
According to multiple defence observers, the Jiu Tian is intended to rival advanced US UAV platforms like the RQ-4 Global Hawk and MQ-9 Reaper. While those American models specialise in strategic surveillance and multirole missions, neither is currently capable of launching coordinated drone swarms.
Jiutian's concept is also seen as building on the legacy of programs like DARPA's 'Gremlins' initiative in the United States, which explored using motherships to launch and retrieve smaller UAVs, reported online defence and security magazine Army Recognition.
However, unlike the Gremlins programme, China's version appears to be much closer to deployment.
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How China is modernising its military
The test flight of Jiu Tian is not occurring in isolation. It is part of a broader military acceleration that includes the development of China's sixth-generation fighter jet programme and increased naval and missile testing.
This aligns with China's push toward an integrated multi-domain force, in which unmanned aerial systems play a leading role.
Drone warfare has increasingly shaped modern conflicts , with lessons drawn from Ukraine's successful use of FPV (first-person view) drones against Russian armoured units. Pat Harrigan, a US Congressman, recently stated that 'FPV drones were responsible for 80 per cent of Russian casualties in Ukraine.'
China, too, has been investing heavily in unmanned systems. Earlier this year, it tested the TP1000 — the country's first drone capable of transporting over one tonne of cargo.
Other notable platforms include the stealthy CH-7, the medium-altitude Wing Loong-X, and the TB-001 Scorpion, which has been seen flying near disputed areas in the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait .
Unlike many of China's earlier UAVs developed solely by state-run enterprises, Jiu Tian is being produced by a private company — Jiutian — in collaboration with state-backed firms like Xi'an Chida Aircraft Parts Manufacturing and the Aviation Industry Corporation of China.
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This represents a growing trend where China is leveraging commercial innovation to bolster its defence industry.
The decision to fast-track the drone's development — with a prototype unveiled in 2024 and flight testing scheduled for mid-2025 — illustrates how quickly China is moving to integrate private-sector capabilities into its military modernisation plans.
The drone's architecture is said to be modular, allowing for easy upgrades and mission-specific customisation, even as it remains in the testing phase.
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With inputs from agencies