News and Commentary

Here Are The Weapons China Just Unveiled That Have U.S. Officials Worried

   DailyWire.com
Chinese rocket launchers are seen at a parade to celebrate the 70th Anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949 , at Tiananmen Square on October 1, 2019 in Beijing, China.
Kevin Frayer/Getty Images

The Chinese military unveiled new weapons systems on Monday — as it celebrated the 70th year of the Communist Party’s rule inside the nation — that have experts in the United States worried that the age of unchallenged U.S. military dominance is rapidly coming to an end.

“We’re no longer in a period of overwhelming American dominance but rather one in which our armed forces are adapting to fight against near-peer competitors who are fielding increasingly sophisticated capabilities,” said Randall G. Schriver, assistant secretary of defense for Indo-Pacific security affairs, according to The Washington Times. “Instead of expecting to dominate an opponent, our armed forces are learning to expect to be contested throughout a fight while achieving the political objectives set for them.”

“We take China at their word: They seek to be a world-class military by 2049, and they are making progress toward that goal,” Schriver continued. “They’re working to become a preeminent power in the Indo-Pacific region while simultaneously undertaking plans to expand overseas presence and develop capabilities to sustain operations farther from Chinese shores.”
Infographic: How Military Spending Has Changed Since 2009 | Statista

Among the weapons that have U.S. officials concerned is the DF-17 Hypersonic Missile.

“The Dongfeng-17, or DF-17, is thought to be China’s first operational missile mounted with a hypersonic glide vehicle — capable of flying at more than five times the speed of sound — and the first such weapon deployed anywhere in the world, defense experts said,” The Wall Street Journal reported. “Once launched, the missile is designed to release a hypersonic glide vehicle that can cruise at relatively low altitude and speeds above Mach 5, or about 3,400 miles an hour, changing direction if needed. That allows it to evade current missile defense systems.”

“There’s simply nothing like it in any Western military force,” said Sam Roggeveen, director of the International Security Program at the Lowy Institute in Sydney. “China is now, in some spheres of military technology, ahead of any Western nation.”

Another new missile that has officials worried is the DF-41 ICBM.

“The biggest piece of weaponry on display was the Dongfeng-41, or DF-41, a road-mobile intercontinental ballistic missile, whose estimated range of 7,500 miles allows it to conduct a nuclear strike on any part of the U.S.,” The Wall Street Journal reported. “It can also carry multiple re-entry vehicles, which are designed to evade missile defense systems.”

“China’s most powerful and advanced nuclear weapons system, the DF-41 has clearly been designed and deployed with deterring the United States in mind,” said Andrew Erickson, an expert on the Chinese military at the U.S. Naval War College.

“This system has long been known, but had never been seen,” said Ankit Panda, an adjunct senior fellow at the Federation of American Scientists. “It’s China’s most responsive and flexible strategic nuclear system, capable of hurling multiple nuclear warheads to the entirety of the United States.”

China also displayed stealth and supersonic aerial drones as well as underwater drones that officials believe is a clear sign that China is looking to expand its presence in the region, including a potential invasion of Taiwan and a desire to keep U.S. forces from responding.

“Advanced supersonic drones, hypersonic glide vehicles, sophisticated air combat capability and missile systems are designed with this role in mind,” said Malcolm Davis, senior analyst in defense strategy and capability at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, according to The Washington Times. “The goal is to deter and deny the U.S. and its allies ‘access’ and freedom of [movement], by striking them as far away from China as possible.”

Got a tip worth investigating?

Your information could be the missing piece to an important story. Submit your tip today and make a difference.

Submit Tip
The Daily Wire   >  Read   >  Here Are The Weapons China Just Unveiled That Have U.S. Officials Worried