China to launch drone mothership

China is set to launch the Jiu Tan, a new drone‑carrying mothership capable of deploying 100 kamikaze drones simultaneously. Developed by Shaanxi Unmanned Equipment Technology, the aircraft has a 25‑meter wingspan, 12‑hour flight time, and 7,000 km range. It can carry six tons of equipment, including cruise and air‑to‑air missiles. Designed to evade radar and overwhelm defenses, it could play a major role in a China‑Taiwan conflict. The Jiu Tan aims to rival U.S. drones like the RQ‑4 Global Hawk and MQ‑9 Reaper, which lack swarm‑launch capability, The Telegraph has reported. A test flight is planned for next month.