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The Chinese military is fielding an increasingly broad range of “special mission” aircraft, which have advanced in both quantity and quality over the past decade.
A KJ-500 AEW&C aircraft at the Zhuhai Airshow in Zhuhai, China, 2016.
In early June, pictures of a never-before seen Chinese airborne early-warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft type (likely GX-19; still unknown designation) circulated on the Chinese internet, attracting interest in the rapid development of new and improved special mission aircraft in China.
Earlier, in December 2025, blurry images of a new Chinese special mission aircraft, provisionally designated as the Y-9PT (GaoXin-18), which resembled the famous American AC-130J Spectre gunship, were revealed for the first time. Further pictures of the aircraft taking to the air for the first time were circulated in May 2026, demonstrating a clear progress in the type’s test and development program.
