Published on, Sept. 23 -- September 23, 2025 6:41 PM

Beijing: The Chinese military has successfully transformed its decades-old J-6 fighter jets into unmanned drones, giving a new lease of life to a Cold War-era aircraft. The repurposed drone made its debut at the recent Changchun Air Show, confirming long-circulating reports about China's plan to upgrade its aging fleet.

The J-6, based on the Soviet MiG-19, was originally produced in the thousands between the 1960s and 1980s. It is a second-generation supersonic fighter jet capable of flying at 1.3 times the speed of sound, with a combat range of 700 km and the ability to carry 250 kg of weaponry. Now, China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) is using these airframes for new-age, low-cos...