‘Blow to US strategic superiority’? Chinese media fuels suspense over ‘hypersonic missile that circled globe to hit target’ — RT World News
Beijing has delivered a “blow to the US’ mentality of strategic superiority,” according to a Global Times editorial, which neither confirmed nor denied claims that China tested a hypersonic missile, catching US spies by surprise.
Financial Times broke the story of a hypersonic rocket test in an explosive report, citing five anonymous sources. In August, the Chinese military launched a glider vehicle into low earth orbit. It circled the globe in pursuit of its target. And while the report emphasized that the missile purportedly missed its target by nearly two dozen miles, it nevertheless came as a big ‘surprise’ to the US intelligence community.
“We have no idea how they did this,”Two sources cited one source as saying that, and two others said the test proved China’s intent. “astounding progress”And was “far more advanced”US officials believed that hypersonic weapon research was more advanced than it actually is.
The FT scoop triggered an avalanche of follow-up media reports, all citing the same unnamed officials, as well as speculation by military experts and pundits. The claims were not confirmed by any US intelligence or military official.
Chinese officials remained silent about the matter as well. However, the Chinese state-backed outlet Global Times, often seen in the West as an unofficial ‘mouthpiece’ of Beijing, ran an editorial on Sunday, neither confirming nor denying the claims, but acknowledging that the US “generally has the ability to monitor global missile launches.”
“If the FT report is to be believed, it means that there is a key new member in China’s nuclear deterrence system, which is a new blow to the US’ mentality of strategic superiority over China,” it said. The paper continued by stating that “greater survivability and penetration ability of Chinese nuclear missiles is clearly being accelerated through a variety of new missiles.”
Massnews.com also available
‘No force can stop China’: Beijing shows off HYPERSONIC missiles & STEALTH drones at 70th National Day parade (VIDEO)
It also highlighted what the Chinese publication called “an” “unstoppable trend that China is narrowing the gap with the US in some key military technologies”
China doesn’t need to engage in an ‘arms race’ with the US – it is capable of weakening the US’ overall advantages over China by developing military power at its own pace.
“China has no intention to engage in a nuclear arms race,” Global Times editor Hu Xijin added in a tweet. “But it’ll certainly improve quality of its nuclear deterrence to ensure that the US abandons the idea of nuclear blackmail against China, or using nuclear forces to fill the gap as US conventional forces cannot crush China.”
READ MORE: DARPA touts ‘historic free flight test’ of Raytheon’s hypersonic missile prototype as US struggles to catch up with Russia
Over the years, US officials have repeatedly expressed concern that both Beijing and Moscow are creating hypersonic missiles to threaten America’s national security. After Moscow’s 2018 unveiling of a wide range advanced weapons technology, Washington has intensified its efforts in developing hypersonic tech. Russia is now the only nation to use a hypersonic glider vehicle in service.
Massnews.com also available
Zircon, Russian Navy’s hypersonic cruise missile, will transform balance of power at sea
You think your friends might be interested in this story? Tell your friends!
[ad_2]
