China conducted a supersonic nuclear test that orbited the Earth in August, according to a report published tonight (Sunday) in the Financial Times.
According to the report, which is based on a number of factors involved in the details of the experiment, the missile, capable of carrying nuclear warheads, flew low before accelerating on its way to its target, causing it to "demonstrate China's advanced space capability, which surprised U.S. intelligence." One of the factors.
However, the report states that the missile did not hit its target - which it missed by about 32 kilometers.
Two of the sources said that "the experiment showed that China has made incredible progress on supersonic weapons, and that these are far more advanced than the Americans thought."
Another surprise on the part of the US came in the fact that unlike previous experiments, the current launch was kept in complete secrecy.
Pentagon spokesman John Kirby, September 2021, Photo: AP
Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said he would not comment on the details of the report, but did agree that "we have already made it clear that our concerns about China's military capabilities still exist, capabilities that only increase tensions in the region and beyond. That is why we consider China as our biggest challenge. "
Supersonic missiles can fly at five times the speed of sound.
Because they fly in a low trajectory in the atmosphere, their potential to hit their targets is higher compared to ordinary ballistic missiles.
Also, the ability to locate and destroy such missiles is still questionable.