Sunday 17 October 2021
The United States is surprised and concerned
China successfully tests hypersonic missile
Hypersonic missiles orbit the Earth at high speed in low orbit. So defense systems find it difficult to intercept. The US is looking into it, Russia – and surprisingly, China too: “We have no idea how they would do it,” says a US insider.
According to a media report, China is making great strides in developing hypersonic missiles. As reported by the “Financial Times”, citing informed circles, the People’s Republic has already tested a new high-speed glider in August. China appears to be far ahead of this technology than the United States assumed.
Accordingly, China sent the projectile, which is used to make nuclear weapons, with Long walk rocket into spaceIt was orbiting the Earth in a low orbit before heading to its destination. But according to three different sources, the projectile missed its target by more than 30 kilometers. According to the report, the US intelligence services should nevertheless be surprised by the new Chinese military capabilities. “We have no idea how they would do this,” said one insider.
The Chinese Ministry of Defense initially declined to comment on the report. A spokesman simply said that China was pursuing a “military strategy that is defensive in nature” that is not directed against any country.
‘Hard to pick up and intercept’
Defense Department spokesman John Kirby also declined to comment on the details of the report. However, he said, “concerns have been expressed about China’s military capabilities, which only serve to increase tensions in the region and beyond.” This is one of the reasons “why we see China as our greatest challenge”.
In addition to China, the United States and Russia are also developing hypersonic military missiles. North Korea also announced last month that it had tested such a missile. At least four other countries are also researching hypersonic technology.
These missiles, like ballistic missiles, can carry nuclear weapons. However, while ballistic missiles fly in a high arc on a clearly defined path through space, hypersonic missiles can orbit the Earth at more than five times the speed of sound — about 6,200 kilometers per hour — in low orbit. They are also remotely controlled and therefore difficult to detect and intercept by defense systems.