What are the implications of China’s development of aerial “drone motherships” for the U.S. military?

This report examines the development and potential military uses of drone motherships by China’s military, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). While media attention has often focused on using crewed ships or airplanes as carriers for drones, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) appears to have developed several large unmanned aerial vehicle platforms (UAVs) that could be configured to serve as drone motherships, including the very large “Jiutian” reconnaissance and strike UAV that debuted at China’s biannual Zhuhai Airshow in November 2024. The PRC’s development of drone motherships has two important implications for the U.S. Department of Defense. First, such technology is likely to support the PLA’s efforts to develop a force in which unmanned systems are increasingly central, a key goal of its military modernization efforts. Second, the platform’s high customizability and flexibility may allow it to operate in reconnaissance, missile strike, airlift, or mothership missions. This may enhance the PLA’s intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities and support its ability to project force.