China Converts Soviet-Era J-6 Fighter Jets Into High-Speed Combat Drones

China has unveiled combat drones converted from retired J-6 fighter jets, confirming years of speculation about the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) plans to repurpose its Cold War–era fleet.

The drones made their first public appearance at the Changchun air show in northeast China.

The J-6 was a second-generation supersonic fighter with a top speed of Mach 1.3 (1,600 kilometers/995 miles per hour), a combat range of 700 kilometers (435 miles), and a capacity for 250 kilograms (550 pounds) of munitions.

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