Militär Aktuell recently published online in connection with the North Korean missile exhibition and with a current video of Russian President Vladimir Putin reported again on hypersonic weapons. These new systems of the superpowers create additional risks in the coming round of the arms race. According to their promoters, hypersonic weapons systems are extremely fast, unstoppable and a real “game changer” in the trial of strength between America, China and Russia.
Chinese engineers now appear to have taken a major step forward in this high-tech segment – back in August or even July. Apparently, with the DF-17 from China Academy Aerospace Aerodynamics (CAAA), which was unveiled in 2019, they have developed a hypersonic missile – potentially capable of delivering nuclear weapons – with a range that spans the entire globe. According to a report in the “Financial Times”based on five people briefed on the event from intelligence circles, the technology is apparently already sufficiently mature to surprise the US leadership.
According to the report, the Chinese military launched the hypersonic gliding vehicle into a low orbit of just under 50 kilometers in August on a “Long March 2C” rocket. The projectile then circled the earth at around 34,000 km/h before missing its target – “narrowly” under these dimensions – by 40 kilometers. This seems to be of little relevance for a possible nuclear payload. DF-17 could strike anywhere on earth from space in a matter of minutes – and render US missile defense useless. China has made “amazing progress in the development of its hypersonic weapons”, one of the people familiar with the test is quoted as saying: “We have no idea how they did it.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yezu7874aoc&t=4s
A wake-up call?
According to the report, the test is intended to prove that the hypersonic weapons program of China’s military is already far more advanced than US intelligence services had previously assumed. Hypersonic weapons are particularly difficult to intercept as they can reach more than five times the speed of sound and maneuver during non-ballistic approaches. A member of the US Congress saw the report on the Chinese test as a wake-up call. “This test should serve as a call to action,” said Republican Mike Gallagher.
“Just a spaceship”
The Chinese Ministry of Defense in Beijing initially did not comment on the media report for days. When asked, the Chinese embassy in Washington explained in general terms that China has always “pursued a defensive military policy” and that its military development is “not aimed at any specific country”. “We have no global strategy and no plans for military operations like the USA,” said embassy spokesman Liu Pengyu. “And we have absolutely no interest in an arms race with other countries.” Asked by journalists about the Financial Times report, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said in Beijing on October 18: “It was a spaceship, not a missile! The routine test was about using technology repeatedly. This is important in space travel in order to reduce costs. Many other countries and companies carry out similar tests. The remains of the spacecraft fell into the East China Sea.” The spokesperson did not give any further details. Interestingly, every launch of “Long March” for the Chinese civil space program is regularly announced, but the one in August was not. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFn-fe9L0x4&t=2s
