China’s Wing Loong-2: a multi-role UAV workhorse with an overseas advantage

From Nigerian raids on Boko Haram hideouts to Saudi strikes at Houthi positions along the shores of the Red Sea; from Pakistani sorties across the Iranian frontier to Libyan missiles in the civil war, one constant presence emerges – China’s Wing Loong-2 (WL-2), showcasing the reach of Chinese drone technology across multiple conflict zones.

At the same time, a variant of the same platform – the GJ-2 or “Attack 2” – is conducting live-fire exercises around Taiwan and patrolling the South China Sea, serving as the backbone of the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) uncrewed reconnaissance and combat capabilities.

This medium-altitude, long-endurance reconnaissance and strike unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) was developed by Chengdu Aircraft Corporation, a subsidiary of China’s state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China. It was first unveiled at the 2016 Zhuhai air show, with its maiden flight the following year.

Domestically, the system went into service in the PLA in 2018, designated as the GJ-2. The weapon, minus the winglets from the WL-2 prototype, made its debut at China’s 2019 National Day military parade. Aside from military applications, the platform is also used for surveillance and communications in civilian disaster rescue operations.

The WL-2/GJ-2 is China’s answer to the General Atomics MQ-9 drones from the United States. Its conventional aerodynamic design bears many similarities to the MQ-9 Reaper, including its dimensions: 11 metres (36 feet) long and 20.5 metres wide.