A recently surfaced video attributed to the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has appeared on social media. The video displays a spectacular light show created with thousands of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) highlighting some of the PLA’s most advanced war machines.
The undated video was posted on X by Chinese journalists. EurAsian Times, however, could not independently verify the origin of the footage. According to claims and reports on X, the drone show was held in the Fujian province and aimed at attracting people to join the PLA.
The video shows the drones changing battle formations to mimic cutting-edge military equipment in China’s arsenal. The first is China’s third and latest aircraft carrier, Fujian. The drones also show the PLA Navy’s (PLAN’s) primary carrier-capable fighter, the J-15, taking off from Fujian.
Launched in June 2022, the Fujian is the first aircraft carrier in China to be outfitted with electromagnetic catapults. Chinese experts have noted that the Fujian can host more aircraft due to its greater displacement and electromagnetic catapults, which enhance the carrier’s launch capabilities. The Fujian is currently undergoing sea trials, which began in May 2024.Next in the video, the Chinese drones realign to form the image of a J-20 Mighty Dragon in the sky, the fifth-generation stealthy workhorse of the PLA Air Force (PLAAF).
China is only the second country—after the United States—to actively deploy fifth-generation aircraft in the world. China has now stationed J-20 fighter jets in all PLA theatres and is expected to field at least 1,000 aircraft by the mid-2030s.
The Mighty Dragons entered service in 2017, and the PLAAF already has over 200 of these fighter jets in its fleet. The goal is to take the number to 400 by 2027 and 1,000 by 2035.
After showcasing PLA’s premier naval and air capability, the drones align to show what appears to be a Main Battle Tank (MBT) and a Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS).
Then, the frame changes, and the drones fall in formation to create the Chinese mainland along with the self-ruled island of Taiwan. China considers Taiwan a renegade province and has vowed to merge with the mainland, with force, if necessary.
