Alert: China’s Decades-Old J-6 Fighter Jet Reborn As Supersonic Expendable Drone For Saturation Strikes
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On 16 September 2025, during a preview ahead of the Changchun Air Show scheduled from 19 to 23 September, China publicly displayed for the first time a J-6 fighter converted into an unmanned aircraft. The sighting, as reported by X-account: @RupprechtDeino, confirmed long-standing reports about the People’s Liberation Army Air Force’s interest in converting legacy fighters into unmanned platforms. The choice to unveil the system before the official opening suggests a deliberate communication effort by Beijing to highlight the continuing value of its legacy airframes in modern operations.Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
The public appearance of the J-6W is therefore more than a symbolic gesture. It confirms that China is aligning its stockpile, infrastructure, and doctrine to exploit massed unmanned platforms in future conflicts (Picture source: X-account/@RupprechtDeino)
The J-6, originally a Chinese-built version of the Soviet MiG-19, once served as the backbone of the PLAAF before being retired from frontline service. In its unmanned version, the aircraft has undergone significant modifications, including the removal of cannons, ejection seats and external fuel tanks, replaced with an autopilot system, automatic flight control, additional pylons for payloads, and a terrain-following navigation system. While reports indicate that an unmanned J-6 first flew as early as 1995, initially used as a training target and a simulated threat, its public return at Changchun marks an evolution in how these platforms may be employed. Many of the units that once operated the J-6 are now transitioning to more advanced drones such as the stealth-capable GJ-11, placing the J-6W in a complementary role rather than at the technological forefront.
In practical terms, the J-6W can serve multiple purposes. It provides realistic full-scale targets for training fighter pilots and air defence crews, offering flight profiles and signatures that smaller drones cannot replicate. Beyond training, the aircraft can be used as a decoy to draw enemy fire, as an expendable strike platform equipped with light ordnance, or as a high-risk reconnaissance vehicle. With an operational range of about 350 miles, supersonic performance, and a payload capacity of up to 1,000 pounds, the J-6 retains characteristics that make it relevant for modern operations, despite its age.
The conversion of the J-6 into a UCAV is not entirely new. Reports suggest that by 2022, around 600 airframes had already been converted, with the actual number possibly higher. China’s decision to maintain a stockpile of over 1,000 potentially airworthy J-6s provides a large reservoir of attritable assets that can be activated when required. Hardened shelters and airbases close to Taiwan have been associated with these conversions, highlighting the geographical and strategic logic behind their deployment.
The advantage of such conversions lies primarily in cost-effectiveness and scale. Repurposing existing airframes is considerably cheaper than producing new drones, while still offering size, speed and radar cross-sections comparable to manned fighters. Similar approaches have been seen elsewhere: the United States has operated QF-4 and QF-16 converted fighters for training and testing, and Azerbaijan used unmanned An-2 aircraft during the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict to expose and deplete enemy air defences. China’s programme appears to follow the same principle but is designed for larger-scale and more integrated use, where legacy jets serve as the first wave in operations to exhaust and confuse enemy defences before more advanced systems engage.
The strategic implications are significant. Geopolitically, the display sends a message about Beijing’s intent to use all available resources in modern air warfare. Geostrategically, positioning these drones in bases closest to Taiwan indicates how they could be deployed in multiple waves without the need for extensive logistical support. Militarily, the drones provide three clear functions: to saturate enemy air defences, to force defenders to reveal positions and emissions, and to deliver expendable strikes on selected targets. This layered approach, combining attritable drones with advanced UCAVs and long-range missiles, reflects a comprehensive doctrine designed to complicate an adversary’s defensive planning.
The public appearance of the J-6W is therefore more than a symbolic gesture. It confirms that China is aligning its stockpile, infrastructure and doctrine to exploit massed unmanned platforms in future conflicts. The J-6W is unlikely to rival advanced stealth drones in sophistication, but its true value lies in its expendability and numbers. By integrating these aircraft into a broader concept of mass employment, Beijing demonstrates how legacy platforms can be reimagined as effective tools for modern warfare. The Changchun preview underlines that the future of air combat will be shaped not only by cutting-edge systems but also by how older assets are repurposed for mass, attritable operations designed to saturate, deceive and overwhelm.
Written by Teoman S. Nicanci – Defense Analyst, Army Recognition Group
Teoman S. Nicanci holds degrees in Political Science, Comparative and International Politics, and International Relations and Diplomacy from leading Belgian universities, with research focused on Russian strategic behavior, defense technology, and modern warfare. He is a defense analyst at Army Recognition, specializing in the global defense industry, military armament, and emerging defense technologies.
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On 16 September 2025, during a preview ahead of the Changchun Air Show scheduled from 19 to 23 September, China publicly displayed for the first time a J-6 fighter converted into an unmanned aircraft. The sighting, as reported by X-account: @RupprechtDeino, confirmed long-standing reports about the People’s Liberation Army Air Force’s interest in converting legacy fighters into unmanned platforms. The choice to unveil the system before the official opening suggests a deliberate communication effort by Beijing to highlight the continuing value of its legacy airframes in modern operations.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
The public appearance of the J-6W is therefore more than a symbolic gesture. It confirms that China is aligning its stockpile, infrastructure, and doctrine to exploit massed unmanned platforms in future conflicts (Picture source: X-account/@RupprechtDeino)
The J-6, originally a Chinese-built version of the Soviet MiG-19, once served as the backbone of the PLAAF before being retired from frontline service. In its unmanned version, the aircraft has undergone significant modifications, including the removal of cannons, ejection seats and external fuel tanks, replaced with an autopilot system, automatic flight control, additional pylons for payloads, and a terrain-following navigation system. While reports indicate that an unmanned J-6 first flew as early as 1995, initially used as a training target and a simulated threat, its public return at Changchun marks an evolution in how these platforms may be employed. Many of the units that once operated the J-6 are now transitioning to more advanced drones such as the stealth-capable GJ-11, placing the J-6W in a complementary role rather than at the technological forefront.
In practical terms, the J-6W can serve multiple purposes. It provides realistic full-scale targets for training fighter pilots and air defence crews, offering flight profiles and signatures that smaller drones cannot replicate. Beyond training, the aircraft can be used as a decoy to draw enemy fire, as an expendable strike platform equipped with light ordnance, or as a high-risk reconnaissance vehicle. With an operational range of about 350 miles, supersonic performance, and a payload capacity of up to 1,000 pounds, the J-6 retains characteristics that make it relevant for modern operations, despite its age.
The conversion of the J-6 into a UCAV is not entirely new. Reports suggest that by 2022, around 600 airframes had already been converted, with the actual number possibly higher. China’s decision to maintain a stockpile of over 1,000 potentially airworthy J-6s provides a large reservoir of attritable assets that can be activated when required. Hardened shelters and airbases close to Taiwan have been associated with these conversions, highlighting the geographical and strategic logic behind their deployment.
The advantage of such conversions lies primarily in cost-effectiveness and scale. Repurposing existing airframes is considerably cheaper than producing new drones, while still offering size, speed and radar cross-sections comparable to manned fighters. Similar approaches have been seen elsewhere: the United States has operated QF-4 and QF-16 converted fighters for training and testing, and Azerbaijan used unmanned An-2 aircraft during the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict to expose and deplete enemy air defences. China’s programme appears to follow the same principle but is designed for larger-scale and more integrated use, where legacy jets serve as the first wave in operations to exhaust and confuse enemy defences before more advanced systems engage.
The strategic implications are significant. Geopolitically, the display sends a message about Beijing’s intent to use all available resources in modern air warfare. Geostrategically, positioning these drones in bases closest to Taiwan indicates how they could be deployed in multiple waves without the need for extensive logistical support. Militarily, the drones provide three clear functions: to saturate enemy air defences, to force defenders to reveal positions and emissions, and to deliver expendable strikes on selected targets. This layered approach, combining attritable drones with advanced UCAVs and long-range missiles, reflects a comprehensive doctrine designed to complicate an adversary’s defensive planning.
The public appearance of the J-6W is therefore more than a symbolic gesture. It confirms that China is aligning its stockpile, infrastructure and doctrine to exploit massed unmanned platforms in future conflicts. The J-6W is unlikely to rival advanced stealth drones in sophistication, but its true value lies in its expendability and numbers. By integrating these aircraft into a broader concept of mass employment, Beijing demonstrates how legacy platforms can be reimagined as effective tools for modern warfare. The Changchun preview underlines that the future of air combat will be shaped not only by cutting-edge systems but also by how older assets are repurposed for mass, attritable operations designed to saturate, deceive and overwhelm.
Written by Teoman S. Nicanci – Defense Analyst, Army Recognition Group
Teoman S. Nicanci holds degrees in Political Science, Comparative and International Politics, and International Relations and Diplomacy from leading Belgian universities, with research focused on Russian strategic behavior, defense technology, and modern warfare. He is a defense analyst at Army Recognition, specializing in the global defense industry, military armament, and emerging defense technologies.
