Azernews.Az

By Alimat Aliyeva

The final tests of a secret hypersonic air-to-air missile have been completed in China, Azernews reports.

The South China Morning Post reported this news, citing sources involved in the testing process.

According to the scientists, the missiles successfully passed extreme heat resistance tests, ensuring that they meet the stringent performance requirements set by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF).

"This marks the first official confirmation of the existence of this mysterious weapon, which could present an unprecedented threat to American military aircraft, including the B-21 stealth bomber, which is currently undergoing flight tests," the publication states.

This breakthrough in China’s hypersonic missile technology has significant implications for global military dynamics. Hypersonic weapons, which travel at speeds greater than Mach 5 (five times the speed of sound), are capable of evading current missile defense systems, making them highly difficult to intercept. The introduction of an air-to-air hypersonic missile would add a new layer of complexity to the already sophisticated defense strategies employed by countries like the United States.

The B-21 bomber, designed to be a key component of the U.S. Air Force’s future strategic forces, is equipped with stealth capabilities intended to make it undetectable to enemy radar. However, the development of advanced hypersonic missiles like China's could challenge the very notion of stealth, as their speed and maneuverability might render traditional defense systems ineffective.

In addition to the missile’s military applications, this development also highlights China’s growing technological prowess in the field of aerospace and defense. The nation has invested heavily in cutting-edge technologies, including artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and hypersonic weapons, in an effort to maintain and expand its global influence.

The successful testing of such a weapon could also accelerate an arms race in hypersonic missile development, with other nations likely to intensify their own research and testing programs. As the pace of innovation in this area accelerates, it may reshape the future of warfare, particularly in terms of air superiority and missile defense systems.