Satellite imagery has captured both of China's large stealth flying wing drones outside their hangars at the same time at the Malan test base in Xinjiang province, the first time the two aircraft have been seen together on the apron. The larger of the two, informally dubbed WZ-X, has a wingspan of roughly 53 meters, putting it in the same class as the B-2 Spirit. The second aircraft uses a cranked kite planform with a span of about 42 meters and appears heavier, suggesting a focus on payload over altitude. A separate image captured later the same day shows the cranked kite design taxiing from its hangar compound to the main runway. A third aircraft visible on the apron appears to be a stealth fighter sized drone with a tailless planform similar to the J-XDS sixth generation manned fighter.

The simultaneous presence of two B-2 scale stealth drones and a combat drone analogue at a single installation points to a significant acceleration in China's unmanned combat aviation testing. Both flying wings are believed to be high altitude long endurance platforms designed for ISR and potentially strike, operating at ranges and altitudes that would make them difficult to detect or intercept. Their scale and design place them in a category comparable to America's RQ-180, which only recently received its first clear public sighting. The fighter sized drone, meanwhile, aligns with a broader Chinese push into collaborative combat aircraft analogous to the US CCA program, with multiple configurations shown during China's 2025 military parade now progressing into active flight testing. No official designations, manufacturers, or program names have been confirmed for any of the three designs.

Chinese state media released the first operational training footage of the Type 100 main battle tank confirming the platform has entered active service with the PLA Ground Force. The ZTZ-100 breaks sharply from previous Chinese armor. The crew of three sits in a sealed forward hull compartment, separated from an unmanned turret armed with an autoloaded 105mm gun that achieves 120/125mm class penetration through APFSDS rounds at a reported 1,706 m/s muzzle velocity. Four phased array radars provide 360-degree threat detection and feed two GL-6 active protection systems designed to intercept anti-tank missiles, RPGs, and loitering munitions. The crew operates through augmented reality helmets that fuse camera, radar, and sensor data into a single display, replacing traditional periscopes entirely. A hybrid diesel-electric drivetrain produces 1,500 hp and enables a silent electric mode for covert approach. At 35 to 45 tonnes depending on modular armor configuration, the Type 100 is significantly lighter than Western heavies and is designed around Ukraine-derived lessons: top-attack protection, drone defense, and beyond-visual-range engagement via networked coordination with unmanned systems.

DARPA's XRQ-73 hybrid electric flying wing completed its first flight from Edwards Air Force Base on April 14, built by Northrop Grumman and subsidiary Scaled Composites under the SHEPARD program. The aircraft uses a series hybrid electric drivetrain where a gas turbine generates electricity to power ultra quiet electric propulsion motors, combining the endurance of liquid fuel with the low acoustic and thermal signatures of electric flight. The stealthy flying wing weighs roughly 555 kg and falls into the Group 3 UAS class, indicating performance up to 18,000 feet and 250 knots. SHEPARD builds on the secretive XRQ-72 Great Horned Owl, an earlier Northrop Grumman quiet drone program. Images show design changes since the aircraft was first revealed in 2024, including wingtip vertical stabilizers, a new dorsal air inlet, and a forward facing sensor aperture. A large belly fairing likely houses an ISR payload suited to clandestine low altitude surveillance.

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