Drones included in refit for China’s second aircraft carrier Shandong

Seven UAVs seen on the flat-top’s deck in official video as the vessel undergoes scheduled maintenance after two years of service

China is the world’s leading drone maker and has several types in active service as research into the technology accelerates

Reading Time:2 minutes

The Shandong, China’s second aircraft carrier, was commissioned in December 2019. Photo: ifeng

Published: 4:59pm, 3 Jun 2022Updated: 5:41pm, 3 Jun 2022

Drones have been spotted for the first time on China’s aircraft carrier Shandong, in a video released by the PLA Navy’s South Sea Fleet.

Seven unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) were briefly visible on the deck of the Shandong, China’s second aircraft carrier and the first to be developed domestically. The drone types were not identifiable.

A PLA Navy video has included a brief glimpse of seven unmanned aerial vehicles on the deck of the Shandong, China’s second aircraft carrier. Photo: Weixin

The Shandong is in its first scheduled maintenance and refurbishment after more than two years of active service, according to a report in April by the state-owned tabloid Global Times.

Experts quoted in the report said the carrier would come back stronger than ever in a few months.

This is not the first time the navy has deployed UVAs on China’s large warships. A vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) fixed-wing drone was used by a Type 052C destroyer in a South China Sea exercise in 2019.

And UVAs spotted last year on China’s Type 055 destroyer could be used for tasks including anti-submarine and reconnaissance, Chinese media reports said.

Select Voice

Choose your listening speed

Get through articles 2x faster

1.25x

250 WPM

Slow

Average

Fast

00:0000:00

1.25x