Jiutian SS-UAV – Beijing launches a “flying aircraft carrier for drones”
Capable of launching a squadron of armed drones in flight, China's Jiutian SS-UAV want to herald a new era of unmanned aerial warfare. The prototype, a hybrid of a strategic bomber and a flying hive, is being closely monitored by the United States.
The Jiutian SS-UAV is a new type of flying machine, described by some analysts as a “flying aircraft carrier for drones.” Designed by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), it does not carry people, but a swarm of drones on board. Its mission is to release them in flight, at a safe distance, for strikes or reconnaissance missions, while remaining out of reach of enemy defenses.
China’s first aerial mothership, Jiutian SS-UAV, is scheduled for its maiden flight in June.
— Li Zexin (@XH_Lee23) May 18, 2025
It can cruise at 15,000m high carrying over 100 small drones or 1,000 kg of missiles, with a range of 7,000km.
Don’t worry, China’s military is peace-oriented from the start. We grow… pic.twitter.com/koCXA4uq6g
Recently released images – from patent filings and limited public demonstrations – show a large aircraft with a large ventral cargo bay. It could carry between 4 and 10 medium-sized drones and potentially operate at high altitudes with a range of several thousand kilometers. The name of the project, “Jiutian,” means “the nine heavens” — a traditional reference to extreme altitude in Chinese mythology. The acronym SS-UAV, which stands for Swarm-Strike Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, therefore refers to an autonomous aircraft designed for tactical swarm operations.
This concept is not entirely new. In the United States, DARPA has experimented with a similar project called the Gremlins Program, which aims to deploy mini-drones from a mother aircraft and then recover them in flight. But China seems to be going further: here, it's not about recovery, but saturation. The Jiutian SS-UAV is designed to drop kamikaze, electronic warfare, or surveillance drones in a pack attack. The objective is twofold: to increase the range and effectiveness of strikes tenfold, while keeping the carrier aircraft away from risk areas. All without a pilot on board. This strategy is in line with China's doctrine of “low-cost asymmetric attack”: using cheap, expendable vectors to overwhelm expensive and complex systems such as missile shields and stealth fighters.
According to Australian researcher Malcolm Davis (Australian Strategic Policy Institute), “the Jiutian could turn a single flight into a 360-degree combined operation: jamming, radar detection, precision strikes, all while coordinating secondary drones from a carrier that remains in the background.” In modern warfare scenarios, every second counts. Traditional aircraft, even stealth aircraft, remain vulnerable to advanced radar and long-range missiles. Current armed drones, such as the US MQ-9 Reaper, are effective but slow, not very discreet, and require nearby bases.
The Jiutian is a game changer. It combines the strategic range of a bomber, the stealth of a drone, and the tactical power of a swarm. By releasing its drones 500 or 1,000 km from the target, it becomes an aerial launch platform that bypasses conventional defenses. According to open Chinese sources, the first prototypes are testing CH-901 drones (short-range explosive micro-drones) and Feihong FH-97A drones, a local version of the American XQ-58A. Other variants could carry radar decoys, jammers, or electronic interception modules.
The idea is to adapt the payload to the mission: air defense attack, radar neutralization, strategic reconnaissance, or even coordinated attacks on enemy ships. These drones operate in a network: each unit relays information to the others, and the AI embedded in the Jiutian could play a central coordination role. This “swarm intelligence,” if truly functional, would place China at the forefront of technology. This project is part of a broader Chinese military strategy known as “controlled rise.” Faced with AUKUS and military buildup around Taiwan, Beijing is investing in capabilities that can strike hard, fast, and from a distance.
The Jiutian SS-UAV is a key component of this strategy: it can be launched from within Chinese territory, cross the first lines of defense, drop its drones, and return without being detected. It could also operate from remote mainland areas or advanced air bases in Xinjiang or Tibet. This mode of operation reduces the need for conventional aircraft carriers or exposed air bases. It creates a decentralized strike capability that is difficult to intercept.
The Pentagon is monitoring the Jiutian program very closely. China's rapid development of drones is already worrying military officials. In March 2025, General Kenneth S. Wilsbach, commander of the Pacific Air Forces, told Congress: “We are at a pivotal moment. China may soon be able to conduct a major air attack without engaging a single pilot.” Israel, which is no stranger to drone operations, is also watching this development closely. As for Europe, it remains behind: while France and Germany are collaborating on the Eurodrone stealth drone and the future NGF (Next Generation Fighter), no European project is currently considering a Jiutian-type platform.
Recent Chinese demonstrations, notably at the Zhuhai Air Show, show rapid progress in the field of collaborative autonomous flight. The Jiutian SS-UAV could inspire other armies. The US Air Force is already accelerating its “loyal wingman” drone program, which involves a piloted fighter accompanied by semi-autonomous drones. Russia, despite its industrial delays, has tested similar concepts with the S-70 Okhotnik. The proliferation of this type of system raises new issues for international humanitarian law, such as the responsibility in the event of a mistaken strike by an AI-piloted drone, or the question whether these swarms should be considered conventional weapons or systems in their own right.
The Jiutian SS-UAV may not yet be operational, but it crystallizes the trends of tomorrow: automation, geographical dissociation, mass effect, and cognitive saturation. These are no longer simply “drones”: they are systems of systems, designed to render conventional defenses obsolete. With this project, China is showing that it not only intends to catch up with the United States, but also to invent a new tactical paradigm. If the Jiutian enters service, it could render obsolete certain NATO doctrines based on conventional air superiority.
