China’s Hypersonic Missiles Summed Up in 4 Words

Key Points – China’s advancing hypersonic missile program, notably the operationally deployed DF-17 road-mobile system which launches the DF-ZF hypersonic glide vehicle (Mach 5-10 speed, 1,800-2,500 km range, potentially dual-capable), poses a significant threat to the United States and its allies.

-These weapons, capable of striking high-value targets like aircraft carriers and bases with little warning and evading current US missile defenses (THAAD, Aegis) due to their speed and maneuverability, give China a temporary strategic edge, particularly in the Indo-Pacific.

-While the US is investing heavily in its own hypersonic development, it currently lags behind China in operational deployment.

China’s Hypersonic Weapons in 4 Words: A Truly Worrying Threat 

One of the biggest threats currently facing the United States is China. More specifically, the threat posed by China’s hypersonic missiles. The PLA has been developing its hypersonic program since the 2010s and has made significant progress in the last several years.

China has reportedly developed five hypersonic missiles, with a sixth currently in development.

These missiles are a massive threat to the US as they can bypass most defenses using their speed and unpredictable flight patterns.

What Missiles Does China Have

Hypersonic missiles are defined by their ability to travel at speeds exceeding Mach 5, or five times the speed of sound. This translates to over 6,000 kilometers per hour, allowing these weapons to reach their targets in a fraction of the time it takes for conventional missiles.

What makes hypersonic missiles particularly formidable is not just their speed, but their maneuverability. Unlike traditional ballistic missiles that follow a predictable arc, hypersonic missiles can change direction mid-flight, making them extremely difficult to detect, track, and intercept.

China’s focus has been primarily on hypersonic glide vehicles. These are launched atop a ballistic missile and then detach to glide at hypersonic speeds through the atmosphere toward their target. The DF-17 is the first known missile system specifically designed to deploy such a glide vehicle.

It has a range estimated between 1,800 and 2,500 kilometers and can travel at speeds between Mach 5 and Mach 10. The missile is road-mobile and solid-fueled, which enhances its survivability and allows for rapid deployment. It is believed to be capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear warheads, adding a layer of strategic ambiguity.

The development of the DF-ZF and its associated glide vehicle, the DF-17, began in earnest in the early 2010s. Initially known as the Wu-14 HGV, the DF-ZF underwent a series of tests starting in 2014, with at least nine known flight tests conducted over the next few years.

These tests demonstrated increasing levels of sophistication, including the ability to perform evasive maneuvers and evade simulated missile defense systems. The DF-ZF was publicly unveiled during China’s National Day military parade in 2019, signaling its operational status.

Why China’s Hypersonics are a Problem

China’s hypersonic missile programs carry drastic implications with them. Militarily, it provides China with a weapon capable of striking high-value targets such as aircraft carriers, military bases, and radar installations with little warning. Its speed and maneuverability make it extremely difficult, if not impossible for current missile defense systems, such as the U.S. THAAD or Aegis systems, to intercept. This gives China a powerful tool for both deterrence and potential first-strike capability.

Regionally, the PLA’s hypersonics enhance China’s ability to project power, particularly in contested areas like the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait, neither of which have any means to defend themselves against China’s hypersonics. It poses a direct threat to US and allied forces stationed in the region, including bases in Guam, Japan, and South Korea. The missile’s mobility and rapid launch capability also mean that it can be deployed quickly in response to any potential actions from the US.

Furthermore, it is still unclear whether China’s hypersonic missiles are nuclear capable or not. While it is primarily viewed as a conventional weapon, the possibility that it could carry a nuclear payload makes any potential response to China all the more difficult. This dual-capability nature enhances its deterrent value and increases the risks associated with any military confrontation involving China. Given the fact that hypersonics are practically impossible to intercept, China has free rein to strike anywhere in range with impunity.

The US Should be Paying Attention

China’s advancements in hypersonic technology have not gone unnoticed. The United States and Russia are also developing hypersonic weapons, but China is currently seen as having a lead in operational deployment. Russia is not far behind, having deployed the Avangard HGV, the Kinzhal, and various other hypersonic missiles.

Meanwhile, the US is still in the testing phase with systems like the Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon and the Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept. However, China’s early deployment of the DF-17 gives it a temporary strategic edge, particularly in the Indo-Pacific theater.

The development of hypersonic takes immense time and resources, and it requires overcoming many technological hurdles. These include managing the extreme heat generated at hypersonic speeds, ensuring accurate guidance and control during high-speed flight, and developing propulsion systems capable of sustaining such speeds. China’s success in these areas is a sign of its growing capabilities in aerospace engineering, materials science, and military research and development.

China’s hypersonic missiles are a huge concern for the US and the rest of the world. The US Department of Defense has sounded the alarm on multiple occasions, warning others of the danger posed by China. Other regional powers such as Japan, South Korea, and Australia are reassessing their missile defense strategies in response. India, too, is pursuing hypersonic technology in response to China’s growing capabilities. Currently, there is a hypersonic arms race occurring, with multiple countries investing in hypersonic programs.

China, however, remains at the top in terms of hypersonic development.

About the Author:

Isaac Seitz, a Defense Columnist, graduated from Patrick Henry College’s Strategic Intelligence and National Security program. He has also studied Russian at Middlebury Language Schools and has worked as an intelligence Analyst in the private sector.

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