Chinese stealth drone makes 1st test flight, reports say, in gain for domestic arms industry

BEIJING – State media say China's first unmanned stealth drone made its first flight in the latest advance for the domestic arms industry.

Photos and video of the tailless delta-wing drone flying were posted Friday on the websites of People's Daily and other major outlets. The location of the 20-minute flight on Thursday was identified only as a southwestern China testing base.

The drone was identified as the Lijian, or "Sharp Sword," photos of which have been circulating for some time. The aircraft is similar to the X-47B drone being tested by the U.S. Navy for aircraft carrier operations, as well as France's experimental Neuron project.

The capabilities of the drone and two manned stealth fighters that China is developing aren't known, although China's arms industry is producing increasingly sophisticated weapons systems.