One officer revealed that the new weapons system cuts down the time needed to launch missiles. China had become the first country in the world to have operational hypersonic weapon systems. Military commentator Song Zhongping said that Xi’s order indicated that Beijing is willing to implement any measure necessary to make the PLA stronger than any of its opponents. A hypersonic missile is feared because of its ability to travel in excess of Mach 5 and up to Mach 10, or around 4,000-8000mph meaning a missile (if it had the range) making it very hard to defend against and giving very little warning. The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has deployed the new DF-17 hypersonic missile in the country’s southeast coast near the island of Taiwan, Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported Sunday. [16][17][18], Complaints have been raised by one researcher over lack of access to high-performance computing power, required for development of the HGV. China conducted its fourth hypersonic missile test last week, according to reports, in a move that has been dubbed an “extreme manoeuvre” by the US. [8] The glider could be used for nuclear weapons delivery but could also be used to perform precision-strike conventional missions (for example, next-generation anti-ship ballistic missiles), which could penetrate "the layered air defenses of a U.S. carrier strike group. Vision Times. The launch vehicle used in the drill is expected to accelerate the firing process of the DF-17. In 2020, China test-fired more than 220 ballistic missiles, exceeding its totals in either of the previous two years. China launched more missiles in 2018 and 2019 than the rest of the world combined. Will Man Prevail or Will Modern Dogs Take Over? “That [DF-17] cover was removed for the military parade [in 2019], but it should be intact for battle to keep it at the right temperature and to protect the missile from environmental damage… It’s also camouflage to protect the missile from being detected,” Retired PLA colonel and military commentator Yue Gang told South China Morning Post. The hypersonic missile drew attention when it made its debut in October 2019 at a huge military parade marking the 70th anniversary of Communist Party rule in China. “Some legislators in the Diet have pointed out that acquisition of the new capabilities could ‘make it possible for the [Self-Defense Forces, i.e. The system is operational as of 2019. China had flaunted its DF-17 missile with a hypersonic glide vehicle DF-ZF at its national military parade in 2019. Follow us on Twitter or subscribe to our email list. China slams Australia's efforts to develop a new hypersonic missile capable of flying from Melbourne to Sydney in seven minutes - saying it makes the country a 'threat' The Air Force is aggressively accelerating its hypersonic weapons development effort, following findings from a recent service report identifying Russian and Chinese ongoing hypersonic … “The DF-17 hypersonic missile will gradually replace the old DF-11s and DF-15s that were deployed in the southeast region for decades. China has been hyping its CoronaVac vaccine, manufactured by Sinovac Biotech. Even without a warhead, if it were to come in at significantly above Mach 5 and manage to hit the deck of a supercarrier – it might not sink … The Chinese military recently held a drill that may have featured a new Chinese hypersonic missile that has the ability to hit U.S. bases in the Indo-Pacific region. Other countries that have hypersonic missile programs include the U.S., Russia, and India. China’s rising missile capabilities have been a source of concern for Washington. He recalled a recent alert at the American military base at Ramstein, Germany, after a Russian submarine conducted an ICBM missile test.