New Chinese Armed Spy Drone Intimidates Taiwan – Rivals US Air Force Reaper

By Kris Osborn, President, Center for Military Modernization

The People’s Liberation Army – Air Force has for the first time revealed a previously unseen GJ-2 armed reconnaissance drone which appears to resemble the well-known US Air Force MQ-9 Reaper, something which therefore raises key questions about the functionality and sophistication of Chinese attack drones. 

The new GJ-2 armed reconnaissance drone flew above waters close to the Taiwan-administered Dongsha Islands in the South China Sea to the southwest of Taiwan island, according to a map showing flight paths of the PLA aircraft cited in a Chinese government-backed Global Times newspaper. 

It not particularly surprising that the Chinese paper would itself mention that the CJ-2 resembles the US Air Force MQ-9 Reaper, as the PLA’s apparent or visible efforts to “copycat” US platforms is well recognized by US observes and similarities are often cited by Chinese-backed newspapers as well. 

The Chinese paper explains that the new GJ-2, which was among of PLA aircraft transiting parts of the South China Sea and Taiwan’s Air Defense Identification Zone, is a new variant of its existing armed Wing Loong-2. 

“Comparable with the US’ MQ-9 Reaper armed reconnaissance drone, the GJ-2 is a customized version of the Wing Loong-2 armed reconnaissance drone of the PLA, and is capable of carrying missiles and flying for extended periods,”

The Chinese paper suggested that the GJ-2 drone might pose a particular threat to Taiwan given its endurance

“this type of aircraft could take advantage of its long endurance to conduct round-the-clock, all-weather surveillance and reconnaissance over the island of Taiwan, a move that will create heavy burdens for the armed forces on the island, which would need to intercept the drone with costlier aircraft.