In the desert of far-western China, a passing satellite caught something Beijing would much rather keep in the shadows: two enormous stealth flying wings, sitting in the open on a remote airfield — the larger of them nearly as wide as an American B-2 bombardiere.

L'immagine, scattata il 26 marzo 2026 da Planet Labs e analizzata dalla testata specializzata in difesa La zona di guerra, is the first time both of these secretive aircraft have been seen out of their hangars at the same time. There is no official photo, no designation, no press release. Everything we know comes from grainy overhead passes — and what they show is a Chinese drone programme moving fast.

Il mostro di Malan

The bigger of the two aircraft has earned the nickname “the Monster of Malan” (some analysts label it “WZ-X”). Its wingspan of around 173 feet makes it the largest Chinese flying-wing design seen to date — wider than a B-2 Spirit, and far larger than most of the world’s uncrewed aircraft. It was first picked out of satellite imagery back in 2024; its true designation and manufacturer are still unknown.

The second flying wing is different: a ‘cranked-kite’ shape with a roughly 137-foot span, heavier-looking and probably built for a lower operating altitude. Analysts assess it as an intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platform that could double as a very-long-range, heavy-payload strike drone. Both appear to have been flying for months.

Un intero ecosistema nel deserto

What makes the picture striking is not just the two giants, but the company they keep. The same imagery shows a tailless, stealth fighter-like drone parked on the apron — its planform echoing China’s sixth-generation manned fighter work — alongside a Y-20 heavy transport. Malan, in other words, is not testing one secret aircraft. It is running a portfolio.

Si adatta a uno schema di cui abbiamo già scritto: la Cina è investire risorse in aerei stealth di ogni dimensione, from fighters to bombers to these vast unmanned wings. The nearest Western equivalent is America’s own RQ-180, a stealthy HALE drone that has been flying in secret for years and is now operational.

What we still don’t know

A caveat is in order. A formidable silhouette on a satellite image is not the same as a combat-ready weapon. We cannot see these aircraft’s engines, sensors, range or how they would fare against modern air defences — only their outlines from directly overhead. But the direction of travel is unmistakable: China is betting big, and building large, on stealthy unmanned flight. The next time one of these wings slips out of its hangar, someone with a camera in orbit will almost certainly be watching.

Sources: The War Zone; satellite imagery © Planet Labs; Aerospace Global News. (Satellite images referenced but not reproduced.)