China’s latest display of military might suggests its ‘nuclear triad’ is complete
- Tuesday’s National Day parade featured the country’s latest ground, sea and air-based weapons, which allow it to conduct far-ranging attacks from any platform
- Show of strength may fuel concerns about its future ambitions and possible plans to increase its nuclear arsenal
China’s display of might during the National Day parade indicates that it has finally completed the “nuclear triad” that will allow it launch far-reaching attacks – a development likely to heighten concerns about the possible expansion of its nuclear arsenal.
Tuesday’s set piece event in Beijing featured new strategic weapons that form the three components of the triad – ground-based intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), submarine-launched missiles and air-launched weapons.
The new weapons on show included the mobile, solid-fuel DF-41 ICBM, which is a core element of the country’s nuclear deterrent because it can reach any location on the US mainland from China.
Its range of 15,000km (9,300 miles) improves on the 12,000km (7,500 miles) of its predecessor, the DF-31AG, and the new missile is also fitted with 10, rather than three, multiple re-entry vehicles that allow it to hit different targets independently.
The DF-41 can be launched from trucks or trains and is much more mobile than the silo-based DF-5B, which also featured in Tuesday’s parade to mark the 70th anniversary of the foundation of the People’s Republic.
