What superweapons did China show off at its military parade? Get the scoop here! (Disclaimer: a model on a trailer is not a threat, yet.) Have listed them here in the order you can see them in the attached CNN video.
The AJX002 Xtra Large Uncrewed Underwater Vehicle (XLUUV)
These new XLUUVs are approximately 18-20 meters long and are generally torpedo-like, with pump jet propulsion. This makes then similar in overall size and shape to the Russian Poseidon nuclear-armed nuclear-powered torpedo.
The tank transporter used to tow the new underwater vehicles allows us to estimate their size. The AJX002 is around 18-20 meters (59-65 feet) long and 1-1.5m (3-5 feet) in diameter. It has four lifting lugs along the hull which reveals that it is normally lowered into the water by crane. This is consistent with XLUUVs observed undergoing trials at Sanya and Yulin naval bases in the South Chinas Sea, and near Dalian in the Yellow Sea.
HQ-29 Anti-satellite / Anti-ballistic missile interceptor
The HQ-29 (simplified Chinese: 红旗-29; traditional Chinese: 紅旗-29; pinyin: Hóng Qí-29; lit. 'Red Banner-29') is an anti-ballistic missile (ABM) and anti-satellite weapon (ASAT) system developed by the People's Republic of China. HQ-29 is likely a mid-course interceptor designed to engage threats outside the Earth’s atmosphere, and roughly comparable to the American SM-3 and Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) systems.
Hypersonic cruise missiles (of which the west has precisely zero)
The YJ-17 (DF-17), from the Eagle Strike missile family, is reported to be able to reach Mach 8, or over 6,000 mph, and to be able to hit targets at a range of 750 miles. It is believed to have an evasive maneuver capability in its terminal flight phase, and can be vertically-launched from ships.
The previously unseen YJ-17 was seen alongside a number of other new recently introduced missiles. These include the YJ-19 and YJ-20, both hypersonic anti-ship cruise missile, with the YJ-19 capable of being fired from ships.
Stealth fighters: J-20 and J-35
J-20: A twin-engine, long-range stealth air superiority fighter with canards, internal weapons bays, and sensors optimized for beyond-visual-range engagement and strike.
J-35: A single-engine (or optionally twin-engine), carrier-capable stealth fighter in development focused on naval operations with folding wings, corrosion-resistant structures, and internal weapons bays for carrier-based strike and air defense.
As featured in AGGRESSOR SERIES!
AMB-012 AI assisted torpedo
Chinese developers claim to have integrated AI into their YU-6 torpedo to allow it to recognize and ignore noise and infrared decoys, and sonar jamming.
The result: detection rates jumped from 61.3% to over 80% when faced with the most advanced decoys, at sea. The system reached over 92% accuracy in more controlled test environments.
AJC015 Missile-torpedo
If real, terrifying.
5.4-meter hybrid weapon that can cruise up to Mach 2.5 at 10,000 meters for 200 kilometers before transitioning to a supersonic sea-skimming mode for 20 kilometers. Upon reaching the final 10 kilometers to the target, it shifts into supercavitating torpedo mode traveling at 100 meters per second.
Uncrewed boats and ships
Large unmanned surface combatant (USV) — “Sea Shadow”–style trimaran / Type 918 — Often described in Western reporting as a large trimaran stealth USV (parade designation varies); Chinese media hasn’t given a widely agreed public name, though some analysts have labeled similar demonstrators as Type 918 or compared them to “Sea Shadow”-style designs.
'Medium autonomous patrol/unmanned corvette — Haiping / “Haitu” (海图) / Type 726 — Parade footage and state reporting referenced medium patrol USVs sometimes called Haitu/Haiping in unofficial sources; variants resemble modular corvette-sized unmanned vessels (sometimes linked to experimental Type 726 family in analyst write-ups).
Unmanned logistics/autonomous support vessel — “Fendou”-class / Unmanned Replenishment Ship (URS) — Shown as a logistic/autonomous support USV; some reports refer to logistic demonstrators as Fendou or generic Unmanned Replenishment Ship designators.
Unmanned speedboat/attack craft — “Haiyan” / explosive swarm boat designator — Small fast-attack/drone boats are often labeled Haiyan or generically as explosive/suicide USVs in imagery and analyst notes; no single official public designation has been consistently used.
Type 726 uncrewed medium patrol vessels. Xi Ping in front!
Drones
Six were seen in rehearsals but only four shown on the day. Those shown had details indicative of being prototypes, not just models.
CH-7 (Caihong‑7 / Rainbow‑7) — a large stealthy UCAV resembling a flying wing for long‑endurance, high‑altitude strike and reconnaissance with internal weapon bays. Prototypes have been photographed in flight.
Wing‑loong‑type medium MALE UCAV (Wing‑Loong series variant) — a medium-altitude, long-endurance armed drone for ISR and precision strikes with underwing hardpoints and electro‑optical/sensor pods. Flying prototypes observed.,
Dark Sword / Sharp Sword (J‑20‑derivative stealth jet UCAV demonstrator) — a high‑speed, stealthy unmanned strike/air‑superiority demonstrator resembling a small stealth jet intended for penetration and autonomous combat. Not yet confirmed in flying prototype.
Small loitering/loiter‑strike UAV (suicide/loitering munition) — a compact, expendable drone for short‑range reconnaissance and one‑way strike missions, carried and deployed in swarms from larger platforms.
Other interesting airframes
A lot of older aircraft in the flyby but also a newer H6-N. (Nuclear Bomber.) Reshaped fuselage in place of the bomb bay to mount an air-launched ballistic missile. It may also carry the CJ-10K/KD-20 or KD-63 land attack cruise missiles.
And a newish AWACS, the KJ‑500 (Xian KJ‑500) — AEW&C aircraft with an active electronically scanned array (rotodome‑style dorsal radar).
Below is the best list I could generate of every weapon/type shown in the parade. To quote the gladiator: "Are you not entertained?"
Aircraft (crewed)
J-20 (Chengdu J-20) — twin‑engine stealth air‑superiority fighter with internal weapons bays and long‑range sensors.
J-16 (Shenyang/HAL J-16) — twin‑engine multirole strike fighter derived from the Su‑27/Flanker for precision strike and SEAD.
J-10C (Chengdu J-10C) — single‑engine multirole fighter with AESA radar and stealthy avionics package.
J-11/JS (Shenyang J‑11 family / Flanker variants) — heavy air‑superiority fighters built on the Su‑27 airframe in several operational variants.
J-15 (Shenyang J‑15) — carrier‑capable, heavy multirole fighter for naval air defense and strike.
H-6K / H-6N (Xian H‑6 series) — long‑range strategic bombers/stand‑off strike platforms (H‑6N reported as a new nuclear‑delivery/air‑refueling capable variant).
Y-20 (Xian Y‑20) — large strategic/tactical transport for personnel, vehicles and heavy cargo.
Il‑76 (Ilyushin Il‑76 / Chinese‑operated transports) — heavy airlifter types used for force projection and airborne support.
KJ‑500 (Xian KJ‑500) — AEW&C aircraft with an active electronically scanned array (rotodome‑style dorsal radar).
KJ‑2000 (Il‑76‑based KJ‑2000) — large AWACS platform for theater airborne early warning and control.
JL‑10 / L‑15 (Hongdu JL‑10 / L‑15) — advanced jet trainer and light attack aircraft used for pilot training and demonstration flights.
Z‑8 / Z‑20 (Harbin Z‑8 and Harbin/AVIC Z‑20) — medium‑lift transport helicopters for troop lift and shipborne operations.
Z‑10 (CAC / Changhe Z‑10) — dedicated attack helicopter for anti‑armor and close air support.
Z‑19 (CAC / Harbin Z‑19) — light attack/reconnaissance helicopter derived from the Z‑9 for battlefield support.
Various utility/heavy helicopters (e.g., AC‑313, transport variants) — heavy‑lift and utility rotorcraft for logistics, SAR and transport roles.
Missile and Rocket Systems
DF‑17 — road‑mobile medium‑range ballistic missile fitted with a hypersonic glide vehicle for high‑speed, maneuvering strike.
DF‑41 — intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) road‑mobile strategic missile with multiple warhead capability.
DF‑26 — medium‑ to intermediate‑range ballistic missile advertised for anti‑ship and land‑attack roles (sometimes called the “carrier killer”).
DF‑21D — anti‑ship ballistic missile designed to engage large naval targets at long range.
CJ‑100 / DH‑10 variants (cruise missiles) — land‑attack cruise missiles for long‑range precision strike.
PL Series short‑range ballistic missiles / tactical SRBMs — parade variants of battlefield ballistic missile systems for regional strike.
Ground Vehicles and Armored Systems
Type 99 / ZTZ‑99 — main battle tank (third‑generation Chinese MBT) for armored maneuver and breakthrough.
Type 15 / ZTQ‑15 — lightweight/rapid‑deployment main battle tank for highland/coastal operations.
Type 04 / ZBL‑09 wheeled IFV family — modular wheeled infantry fighting vehicles and APCs.
PF‑98 / anti‑tank missile teams and vehicle‑mounted ATGMs — man‑portable and vehicle‑mounted anti‑armor missile systems.
Self‑propelled artillery
(PLZ‑05 / PHL series) — tracked/armored artillery systems for long‑range indirect fire.
Multiple launch rocket systems
(e.g., PHL‑03 / AR‑series) — heavy rocket artillery for area saturation and stand‑off fires.
Mobile air‑defense systems
(HQ‑9, HQ‑22, short‑range SAMs) — layered surface‑to‑air missile systems for theater air defense.
Specialist vehicles
(engineering, CBRN, EW support vehicles) — parade elements showing force‑support and survivability systems.
Naval Vessels(displayed or represented)
Type 075 (LHD amphibious assault ship) — large helicopter carrier/landing platform dock for expeditionary operations.
Type 055 (renamed Renhai-class) destroyer — large, modern guided‑missile destroyer for fleet air/missile defense and strike.
Type 052D destroyer — principal multirole guided‑missile destroyer with AESA radar and VLS.
Type 094 / Type 096 (ballistic missile submarines represented) — strategic nuclear‑powered ballistic missile submarines shown in imagery/representation.
Uncrewed surface vessels (large trimaran USV, medium corvette USV, logistics USV, small attack USV) — various USV demonstrators including a large trimaran stealth USV and smaller patrol/attack/logistics drones.
Electronic, Space, and Support Systems
Ground‑based radar and ASW sensor systems — long‑range surveillance radars and anti‑submarine sonobuoy/processing systems displayed as strategic sensors.
Electronic warfare (EW) and signals intelligence vehicles — mobile EW platforms for jamming, deception and C2 protection.
Satellite/space capabilities (representational elements) — displays and banners highlighting China's reconnaissance, navigation and strategic space assets.
Unmanned logistics/support platforms — autonomous resupply vehicles and robotic support systems for force sustainment.