USA are surprised and concerned: China successfully tests hypersonic missile

USA are surprised and concerned
China successfully tests hypersonic missile

Hypersonic missiles orbit the earth at high speed in low orbit. Defense systems therefore find it difficult to intercept them. The US is researching it, Russia – and, surprisingly, China too: “We have no idea how they did it,” says a concerned US insider.

China is making great strides in developing hypersonic missiles, according to a media report. As the “Financial Times” reported, citing informed circles, the People’s Republic tested a new high-speed sliding body back in August. China is apparently further ahead with this technology than the US had assumed.

According to the report, China sent the nuclear weapons-grade missile into space with a “Long March” missile, where it orbited the earth in a low orbit before heading for its target. According to three different sources, however, the projectile missed its target by more than 30 kilometers. According to the report, the US intelligence services should nevertheless be surprised by China’s new military capabilities. “We have no idea how they did it,” said one of the insiders.

The Chinese Ministry of Defense initially refused to comment on the report. A spokesman simply said that China is pursuing an “inherently defensive military strategy” that is not directed against any country.

“Difficult to capture and intercept”

Defense Department spokesman John Kirby also refused to go into the details of the report. He said, however, that “concerns have been expressed about China’s military capabilities, which are only adding to 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.

Such missiles, like ballistic missiles, can carry nuclear weapons. However, while ballistic missiles fly in a high arc on a clearly defined course through space, hypersonic missiles can orbit the earth at more than five times the speed of sound – about 6200 kilometers per hour – in a low orbit. They are also remote-controlled and therefore difficult to detect and intercept by defense systems.

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