Key Points – China is a world leader in hypersonic weapons, possessing at least four operational systems that pose a significant threat to the United States and its allies in the Indo-Pacific.
-Key platforms include the road-mobile DF-17 hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV), the air-launched DF-ZF HGV, the intermediate-range DF-27, and the new YJ-21 “Eagle Strike” anti-ship missile.
-With speeds ranging from Mach 5 to Mach 10 and high maneuverability, these weapons are designed to penetrate existing missile defenses like THAAD and Patriot, holding US bases (Guam, Japan, South Korea) and naval assets at risk, particularly in a Taiwan contingency.
Does China Lead the World In Hypersonic Weapons?
China’s President, Xi Jinping, must be smiling as he ponders his hypersonic weapons program. China is a world leader in the ultra-high-speed projectile game. The Middle Kingdom has at least four hypersonic weapons to reckon with. They are not all-powerful, and there is a belief that they are overhyped; however, China has made significant strides in various capabilities that make their hypersonic missiles difficult to intercept. Let’s take a closer look at these next-generation weapons that the United States and its allies are scratching their collective heads over.
DF-17 Is the Most Widely Known
The DF-17 is probably China’s most well-known weapon of the class. This is a hypersonic glide vehicle that made its first appearance in 2017. The DF-17 has a top range of 1,500 miles, giving it the ability to blast rivals in China’s backyard and dominate the region. The DF-17 “is boosted into the atmosphere by a rocket before separating and gliding at hypersonic speeds toward its target, according to MIRA Safety.
Although the DF-17 was publicly unveiled eight years ago, U.S. intelligence analysts were aware of it as early as 2014. Another aspect of the DF-17 is that it features a road-mobile launcher, which enables a “shoot and scoot” capability, making the entire system more challenging to destroy on the ground. The DF-17 may be able to hit MACH 10, but its probable speed is closer to MACH 5. The DF-17 can also deliver a nuclear payload along with a conventional warhead.
The Air-launched DF-ZF is Noteworthy
The DF-ZF is a particularly challenging hypersonic to counter because it can be fired from a heavy bomber. The hypersonic glide vehicle packs a punch with a long-range ground strike in mind. It can hit targets as far as 1,200 miles away, making it lethal in the First Island Chain. It’s a two-stage, solid-fueled weapon mounted on existing Chinese missiles. MDAA says the DF-ZF is difficult to shoot down as it can take “extreme maneuvers.” Current air defenses that the United States employs, such as the Patriot PAC-3 and THAAD, may have trouble destroying this hypersonic glide vehicle.
The DF-27 Can Bully Targets in First Island Chain and Beyond
The DF-27 is concerning because it could destroy targets in South Korea, Japan, and Guam. The U.S. Department of Defense reported on the DF-27 in 2021. China has also stated that hypersonic technology has been in use for several years.
The DF-27 could easily be deployed against Taiwan, and there would be no stopping it if launched at the island. The DF-17 is likely fired from road mobile launchers. I would predict that China will house the DF-17 systems in caves or under mountains and roll them out for the launch sequence, making them tough to destroy on the ground. It’s not known if the DF-17 is nuclear-capable, as details in open-source literature are sparse, but it would not surprise me if the DF-17 could be mated with a nuclear warhead.
The YJ-21 Is Sleek and Accurate
The YJ-21 “Eagle Strike 21” is China’s newest hypersonic weapon, unveiled at the Zhuhai Air Show in 2024. This missile is sleek, striking-looking, and likely wowed the crowd at the expo. The YJ-21 is a solid-fueled two-stage, two-stage missile with a powerful propulsion system capable of reaching Mach 6. Its range exceeds 900 miles, with great accuracy provided by its internal navigation system. The Chinese want to use it as an anti-ship missile, and this could pose problems for the U.S. Navy’s Aegis Combat System, which features a missile shield over American warships. The Eagle Strike 21 has “dual-band radar and infrared systems, enabling target discrimination in contested environments,” according to ArmyRecognition.com.
Repercussions of Chinese Hypersonics
China’s hypersonic weapons program is stalwart. Any potential conflict with China will be a missile fight, and look for Xi Jinping’s rocket forces to be active on Day One of any conflict against Taiwan. Then, if the United States and Japan try to intervene in a China-Taiwan war on Day Two, expect the Middle Kingdom to launch its hypersonics against enemy ships and perhaps land targets on Japan and Guam.
Sensing that they can easily take decisive initiative in a shooting war, Chinese engineers and technicians are working overtime on the hypersonics. American THAAD and Patriot PAC-3 defenders could be foiled. Plus, if some of these weapons could reach North America, the United States must have its Golden Dome missile shield ready to go as soon as possible.
China’s hypersonics that are launched from road-mobile systems are especially dangerous due to their ability to be concealed from early conventional strikes from the United States. There could be plans from the Pentagon to take out the Chinese hypersonics launched from the surface first. But if the targets are hidden in caves, this will be a challenging endeavor. Plus, Chinese solid-fueled hypersonics can be fired quickly with little preparation.
The Americans will have their hands full as Xi’s hypersonic program gets stronger in the coming years. China has a more robust force than Russia, and the Kremlin’s rocket forces have been active since the end of World War Two and later when Moscow achieved a nuclear weapon and built ICBMs.
Xi is likely to invest heavily in hypersonics to lead the world in their development. They will be accurate and challenging to shoot down, and these capabilities will only improve with time.
About the Author: Dr. Brent M. Eastwood
Brent M. Eastwood, PhD is the author of Don’t Turn Your Back On the World: a Conservative Foreign Policy and Humans, Machines, and Data: Future Trends in Warfare plus two other books. Brent was the founder and CEO of a tech firm that predicted world events using artificial intelligence. He served as a legislative fellow for U.S. Senator Tim Scott and advised the senator on defense and foreign policy issues. He has taught at American University, George Washington University, and George Mason University. Brent is a former U.S. Army Infantry officer. He can be followed on X @BMEastwood.
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