Award Banner
Award Banner

Top US general confirms 'very concerning' Chinese hypersonic weapons test

Top US general confirms 'very concerning' Chinese hypersonic weapons test
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, US Army General Mark A Milley, responds to questions during a House Armed Services Committee hearing on Ending the US Military Mission in Afghanistan in the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington, US on Sept 29, 2021.
PHOTO: Reuters file

WASHINGTON - The top US military officer, General Mark Milley, has provided the first official US confirmation of a Chinese hypersonic weapons test that military experts say appears to show Beijing's pursuit of an Earth-orbiting system designed to evade American missile defences.

The Pentagon has been at pains to avoid direct confirmation of the Chinese test this summer, first reported by the Financial Times, even as President Joe Biden and other officials have expressed general concerns about Chinese hypersonic weapons development.

But Milley explicitly confirmed a test and said that it was "very close" to a Sputnik moment — referring Russia's 1957 launch of the first man-made satellite, which put Moscow ahead in the Cold War-era space race.

"What we saw was a very significant event of a test of a hypersonic weapon system. And it is very concerning," Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told Bloomberg television, in an interview aired on Wednesday (Oct 27).

Nuclear arms experts say China's weapons test appeared to be designed to evade US defences in two ways. First, hypersonics move at speeds of more than five times the speed of sound, or about 6,200 kph (3,853 mph), making them harder to detect and intercept.

Second, sources tell Reuters that the United States believes China's test involved a weapon that first orbited the Earth. That's something military experts say is a Cold War concept known as "fractional orbital bombardment."

Last month, Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall alluded to his concerns about such a system, telling reporters about a weapon that would go into an orbit and then descend on a target.

"If you use that kind of an approach, you don't have to use a traditional ICBM trajectory — which is directly from the point of launch to the point of impact," he said.

"It's a way to avoid defences and missile warning systems."

Fractional Orbital Bombardment would also be a way for China to avoid US missile defences in Alaska, which are designed to combat a limited number of weapons from a country like North Korea.

Jeffrey Lewis at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies summed up fractional orbital bombardment this way: "The simplest way to think about China's orbital bombardment system is to imagine a space shuttle, put a nuclear weapon into the cargo bay, and forget about the landing gear."

Read Also
world
US calls build-up of China's nuclear arsenal 'concerning'

Lewis said the difference is that the Chinese re-entry system is a glider.

China's foreign ministry denied a weapons test. It said it had carried out a routine test in July, but added: "It was not a missile, it was a space vehicle."

US defences are not capable of combating a large-scale attack from China or Russia, which could overwhelm the system.

But the open US pursuit of more and more advanced missile defences has led Moscow and Beijing to examine ways to defeat them, experts say, including hypersonics and, apparently, fractional orbital bombardment.

The United States and Russia have both tested hypersonic weapons.

homepage

trending

trending
    Cooler days ahead: Third monsoon surge from March 19 to 21 could see 22 deg C temperatures
    Woman found dead in Bukit Merah flat after not collecting free meals for days
    'I'm a bit concerned for my and my mum's safety': Chantalle Ng reveals extreme online harassment
    'It's very embarrassing': Sharon Au recounts faking her marriage in 2014
    Die-hard Singapore fan recalls serenading Lady Gaga in LA, moving her to tears: 'That moment means the whole world to me'
    Singaporean boy flung out of car in fatal Johor accident; lorry driver didn't have licence, tests positive for drugs
    St Joseph's Church stabbing: Accused given additional charges of being in possession of weapon
    The one passion that drives this teen robotics whiz to keep innovating
    Is roti john from Singapore or Malaysia? Radio DJs spark debate
    Pinnacle@Duxton sets new record with $1,502 psf after 4-room unit sells for about $1.52m
    From Spain to Singapore: Spanish performance brand Cupra relaunches in Singapore
    Laid to rest: Barbie Hsu's ashes interred, Wheesung funeral's condolence money to be donated

Singapore

Singapore
    • Government committed to making young parents' journey 'smooth and fulfilling', says PM Wong during Sengkang visit
    • 3 injured after bus ferrying Singapore passengers skids and overturns near Cameron Highlands
    • Elderly man dies after falling in bus, family appealing for witnesses
    • 'They deserve an award': Pre-school teachers hailed for carrying children to safety amid Punggol fire
    • Chinese national charged for alleged theft onboard Kuala Lumpur-Singapore Scoot flight
    • Singapore's harmony is precious and must always be cherished and protected: PM Lawrence Wong
    • $320m crypto heist suspect: How a Choa Chu Kang student went from gaming to a life of luxury
    • Long delays at Woodlands checkpoint: Over 2-hour wait as school holidays start
    • Man to be charged for abusing airline staff and kicking wall at Changi Airport over lost phone
    • 'Spectacular sight': SM Lee shares stunning photo of rare sun halo over Singapore

Entertainment

Entertainment
    • Tay Ping Hui says acting in China was a 'super humbling experience'
    • Kim Soo-hyun admits to dating late Kim Sae-ron, refutes allegations she was underaged
    • Ya Hui toughs it out in new job as creative director: 'I'm not a flower you need to take care of'
    • 'Where am I supposed to say I'm from?' Jackson Wang addresses controversial clip of him saying 'I'm Chinese'
    • Courtney Love permanently relocating to UK over fears about impact of Donald Trump as US president
    • Sir Elton John struggling to sign autographs after losing vision in right eye
    • Liam Payne fans dedicate commemorative bench in Buenos Aires cemetery

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
    • 2 Singapore pizzerias earn spots on 50 Top Pizza Asia-Pacific 2025 list
    • Luckin Coffee launches Maltese-themed drinks and limited-edition merchandise as part of collaboration
    • 23 local attractions offering SG60 deals, here's what Singaporeans can enjoy
    • Hunt the Mouse is back, with $100k worth of coins hidden at Sentosa waiting to be found
    • All-new Skoda Superb Combi unveiled
    • The truth about dual-key living in Singapore: What 3 homeowners want you to know
    • Toyota Camry review: A classic nameplate that vastly amps up the luxury and fun factor
    • Dear teachers, I owe you an apology: Lessons I learnt as a parent
    • Neta X review: Affordable Chinese EV with more than a few flaws
    • Touring Lucky View: Freehold landed homes from $5m in the east

Digicult

Digicult
    • A $500 wake-up call: How the Samsung Galaxy Ring made me realise my stress
    • Monster Hunter Wilds producer explains how game has remained unique and fresh over 20 years
    • China's Baidu launches 2 new AI models as industry competition heats up
    • China's top universities expand enrolment to beef up capabilities in AI, strategic areas
    • International Women's Day: Meet the Singapore women levelling up in gaming
    • US indicts slew of alleged Chinese hackers, sanctions company over spy campaign
    • Meet the women powering innovation in tech in Singapore and beyond
    • Games in March: JRPGs, co-op games and wrestling
    • Australia fines Telegram for delay in answering child abuse, terror questions
    • Embracing the future: A personal guide to how to get started with artificial intelligence

Money

Money
    • Amid AI push, DBS to cut 4,000 temp jobs over next 3 years
    • Singapore's economy grew 4.4% in 2024, beating forecasts
    • DBS to give staff $1,000 special bonus, introduce capital return dividend
    • Travel insurance for infectious diseases: What you need to know (2025)
    • Best bank offers in Singapore (March 2025): Lady Gaga concert presale, up to 50% off flights and more
    • How high will Singapore property prices get in 2025? Here's what AI predicts
    • Before you say 'I do' to a home: The checklist every newlywed couple needs in Singapore
    • Are older HDB maisonettes and jumbo flats worth the premium? A deep dive into pricing trends
    • This newly MOP-ed 4-room HDB flat at Bidadari sets new record with almost $800k profit
    • Chocolate Finance imposes $250 spending limit on debit card to manage demand for miles rewards

Latest

Latest
  • US aid cuts to Myanmar are having catastrophic impact, UN rapporteur says
  • Mexican president pledges stronger missing persons efforts after mass grave found
  • Israel attacks targets in Gaza as ceasefire deadlock breaks
  • Canada's Carney says Trump must stop comments before bilateral talks can start
  • What is the Venezuelan prison gang Tren de Aragua?
  • China's Xi may visit US in not-too-distant future, Trump says
  • Trump and Putin to discuss power plants, land in talks to end Ukraine war
  • Harvard offers free tuition to students from families earning $270k or less
  • Crowds demand justice for 59 killed in North Macedonia nightclub fire

In Case You Missed It

In Case You Missed It
  • Strong winds in Hong Kong leave gondola worker 'hanging' in mid-air
  • 'It all burned': Food stall in Malaysia catches fire after rain falls on hot oil
  • Malaysian woman stunned to find car trapped among diners after car park turns into outdoor eatery at night
  • Johor invests $1.5b in water treatment infrastructure to reduce dependency on Singapore after 2030
  • Ceiling collapses at KSL City Mall in JB, viral videos show
  • Food poisoning outbreak: 187 cases linked to Total Defence Day ready-to-eat meals, probe underway
  • Blazing car on Nicoll Highway: 1 dies, 2 taken to hospital
  • FairPrice giving away 75,000 sets of snacks and drinks to Muslim customers to break fast
  • Disabled Malaysian boy seen 'walking' with hands in school gets walkers from kind donors after TikTok video went viral
This website is best viewed using the latest versions of web browsers.