By David Crane
david (at) defensereview (dot) com
Image(s) Credit: Twitter, and Xinhua/Wang Jiangbo
October 17, 2021
As if we didn’t already have enough bad news coming out of China, it’s being reported that they just conducted a low-orbit thermonuclear-capable hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV)/missile test in space, catching the “geniuses” in our (US) intelligence services by surprise. The new weapon was lauched using a Chinese Long March 2C rocket, and is reportedly being developed by the China Academy of Aerospace Aerodynamics (CAAA), which is a research institute under China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASTC). CASTC manufactures rockets and missile systems for China’s space program.
In response, Republican Rep. Michael Gallagher of the House Armed Services Committee responded with this up-lifter:
The People’s Liberation Army now has an increasingly credible capability to undermine our missile defenses and threaten the American homeland with both conventional and nuclear strikes. Even more disturbing is the fact that American technology has contributed to the PLA’s hypersonic missile program.
Well, isn’t that just great (sarcasm). Not only is China a bigger threat to us (USA) than ever, it would appear that we (USA) helped them do it. All this is of course fresh off the news that China’s building “more than 200 intercontinental missile silos”. They can do this since they’re apparently not bound by any arms control deals with us, and are unwilling to participate in any talks discussing their nuclear weapons arsenal and policy.
General Glen VanHerck, head of North American Aerospace Defense Command, says the Chinese military also “recently demonstrated very advanced hypersonic glide vehicle capabilities”. So, more good news (more sarcasm).
So, why is China doing this. According to Hu Xijin, editor of ultranationalist Chinese state-run media outlet Global Times, his beloved Chinese government’s doing all this to “ensure that the US abandons the idea of nuclear blackmail against China”. So, China’s playing the “victim”.
So, what’s the Pentagon’s response, you ask? “We have made clear our concerns about the military capabilities China continues to pursue, capabilities that only increase tensions in the region and beyond,” said Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby. Kirby went on to call China “our number-one pacing challenge”. Catchy.
The Chinese government is of course classifying their nuclear-capable hypersonic weapons development program as “defensive”, and a response to our (US) hypersonic weapons development.
DefenseReview’s (DR) take: The US military needs to figure out a deterrent/defensive counter-solution to the Chinese thermonuclear hypersonic missile threat quickly, as it would appear that World War III (WWIII) is already on the horizon thanks to China’s desire to take back Taiwan, and their highly threatening statements toward our (US) largest and most important ally in the region, Japan. It’s turning into a real powder keg over there.
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