China launches giant stealth UAV, revealing ambition to dominate the sky

China caused a stir when a giant stealth UAV suddenly appeared at Malan base, revealing its ambition to dominate the race to dominate the sky.

Recently, satellite images recorded the sudden appearance of a giant stealth UAV at the secret Malan base, Xinjiang. The photo taken on August 14 immediately attracted special attention from international observers.

Malan has long been considered the “cradle” of China’s advanced military aviation development, especially in UAV research and testing. It has repeatedly revealed impressive stealth designs, from reconnaissance models to potential unmanned combat aircraft.

Satellite data from Planet Labs shows a dark-colored flying wing UAV at the end of the Malan runway. With an estimated wingspan of 42 meters, comparable to a strategic bomber, it is considered one of the largest UAVs ever developed by China.

This design has many features that analysts associate with the CH-7, also known as “Rainbow-7”, a stealth UAV that China publicly announced in 2024. However, the new model revealed at Malan has clear differences, suggesting that this is likely an upgraded version, or even a successor design to the CH-7.

The UAV in the satellite images is notable for its wider and longer nose, different wing curvature, and tweaked trailing edges and wingtips compared to known CH-7 versions. These changes suggest it is more optimized for stealth, high altitude, and long endurance.

Another notable detail is the design of the air intake located at the front of the mid-fuselage and the corresponding exhaust at the rear, similar to modern high-altitude, long-endurance (HALE) UAVs. This has raised speculation that China is developing a UAV line that is not only for reconnaissance but also capable of carrying out strategic strike missions.

Western experts were quick to compare the new UAV to the RQ-180, a top-secret spy plane of the US Air Force. The “spinning kite” shape and large wingspan show significant similarities. If true, China is clearly trying to narrow the technological gap with the US in the field of advanced stealth UAVs.

Malan is not the first time to reveal strange designs. Previously, in May, satellite images also recorded another giant flying wing UAV here, said to be ready for test flight. The consecutive discoveries prove that Beijing is strongly pushing investment in the new generation UAV program.

China has also been testing a number of variants, including a twin-jet-powered flying wing UAV from the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), which bears a striking resemblance to the “Star Shadow” concept that was showcased at the 2018 Singapore Airshow.

The variety of designs reflects China’s ambition to build a comprehensive stealth UAV ecosystem. From high-altitude reconnaissance UAVs, attack UCAVs, to hybrid models, Beijing appears to be aiming to deploy UAVs across a variety of battlefields and missions.

However, many questions remain about the new UAV at Malan. Is it a prototype for aerodynamic testing, a ready-to-fly variant, or just a mock-up to fool enemy intelligence? While the latter possibility cannot be ruled out, most experts believe that the design does reflect China’s new advancement in UAV technology.

From what has been seen, it is clear that China is entering a period of explosive development of large-sized stealth UAVs. The appearance of the mysterious UAV model in Malan not only confirms that, but also signals the increasingly fierce strategic competition in the field of military aviation between the great powers.

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