China showcased interceptor missiles designed for air and missile defense on Wednesday, rivaling a similar system being built by the United States, known as the Golden Dome.
A total of six types of Chinese interceptor missiles were displayed in a military parade in Tiananmen Square, Beijing, which marked the 80th anniversary of World War II.
Newsweek has reached out to the U.S. Defense Department for comment via email.
Why It Matters
The Golden Dome is a $175 billion missile defense initiative proposed by the Trump administration to intercept missiles targeting the United States. President Donald Trump said the system is expected to be fully operational by the end of his term in 2029.
According to the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency, cruise and ballistic missiles, as well as hypersonic weapons—capable of flying over five times the speed of sound and maneuvering in flight—constitute threats to the Golden Dome.
During the military parade on Wednesday, the Chinese military also unveiled its newest nuclear missiles, describing them as having “global-covering” and “defense-penetrating” capabilities.
What To Know
The Chinese military parade featured a formation composed of three air defense missile systems—the HQ-11, the HQ-20 and the HQ-22A—and three anti-ballistic missile systems—the HQ-9C, the HQ-19 and the HQ-29—the state-run Global Times reported.
These systems are designed for long-, medium-, and short-range air defense and “multiple-course, multi-layer” anti-ballistic missile interception, according to the report, which added that they form a “solid barrier” for air and aerospace defense.
According to the U.S. Missile Defense Agency, “multiple-course” refers to the three phases of ballistic missile flight—boost, midcourse and terminal. Each phase requires different interception techniques because of its distinct challenges to missile defenses.
Zhang Xuefeng, a Chinese military expert, told the Global Times that the HQ-11, the HQ-20 and the HQ-22A are likely tasked with defending against aircraft, drones and cruise missiles, serving as the “lower layer” in China‘s national air and missile defense.
Meanwhile, China has developed the HQ-9C, the HQ-19 and the HQ-29 for the “upper layer,” defending against ballistic missiles in different phases of flight. The HQ-9C can intercept missiles flying at low altitudes during the terminal phase, according to Zhang.
Similar to the HQ-9C, the HQ-19 is designed to intercept missiles during the terminal phase but at higher altitudes. The HQ-29 further expands China’s anti-ballistic missile capabilities by targeting incoming missiles during the midcourse phase, the expert said.
The U.S. military currently operates no fewer than four air and missile defense systems, namely the Aegis Missile Defense deployed on cruisers and destroyers, the ground-based Midcourse Defense, the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense and the Patriot.
In addition to interceptor missiles, the U.S. has established a sensor network composed of satellites and radars to detect and track hostile missiles through all phases of flight.
What People Are Saying
Chinese military expert Zhang Xuefeng told the Global Times on Wednesday: “[The missiles are] not only a concentrated display of China’s strategic defense capabilities, but also a display of strategic deterrence. With complete antiballistic missile means, China can significantly contain the enemy’s strategic strike capabilities, which is of great significance.”
The U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency commented in its threat assessment report: “China and Russia are developing an array of novel delivery systems to exploit gaps in current U.S. ballistic missile defenses, but traditional ballistic missiles—which are guided during powered flight and unguided during free flight—will remain the primary threat to the Homeland.”
What Happens Next
It remains to be seen whether China will test its air and missile systems in the near future to demonstrate capabilities against a wide range of aerial, ballistic and hypersonic threats.
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