Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
The Israeli Walla! website: We are running out of stockpiles, our forces are exhausted, and the lives of the captives are in danger. It is time for a ceasefire deal in Gaza.
Several wounded in an Israeli bombardment of a tent in al-Mawasi, south of Khan Younis in the Gaza Strip.
Israeli media: Three wounded, three killed in an ongoing operation in the Gaza Strip.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in southern Lebanon: Israeli artillery shelling targets the outskirts of the town of Shebaa
Al-Qassam Brigades: The targeting took place at the intersection of 'Street 5' with the western line north of Khan Younis
Al-Qassam Brigades: A NIMR armored personnel carrier carrying an Israeli soldier was targeted with an Al-Yassin missile north of Khan Younis
Israeli media: At least two soldiers killed by anti-tank missile fired at Israeli army forces in the Gaza Strip
Local Syrian sources: Mortar shells fell on more than nine villages in the Sweida countryside
Local Syrian sources: Dozens of dead and wounded have arrived at Sweida hospitals as a result of ongoing clashes at several locations in the western Sweida countryside
Local sources: Civilians, including children and women, were injured in the al-Maqous neighborhood of Sweida, in Syria, as a result of ongoing clashes

FT: China New Hypersonic Missile Catches US Off Guard

  • By Al Mayadeen
  • Source: Financial Times
  • 17 Oct 2021 13:32
2 Min Read

Hypersonic missiles launched in August caught US intelligence off-guard.

  • x
  • China Tested New Space Capability with Hypersonic Missile
    China Tested New Space Capability with Hypersonic Missile

China conducted a test of an allegedly nuclear-capable hypersonic missile in August that circled the globe before rushing towards its target, revealing its sophisticated space capability that caught US intelligence off guard.

Five sources familiar with the test reported that the Chinese military fired a rocket carrying a hypersonic glide vehicle that traveled through low-orbit space before descending to its target.

According to three persons informed on the intelligence, the missile missed its target by roughly two dozen miles. However, two experts claimed the test demonstrated that China had made incredible progress on hypersonic weapons and was far ahead of US officials.

The test has raised new questions about why the US has consistently miscalculated China's military development efforts, “We have no idea how they did this", said the fourth person. 

The US, Russia, and China are all working on hypersonic weapons, such as glide vehicles that are sent into space on a rocket but orbit the globe on their momentum. They travel at five times the speed of sound, a fraction of the speed of a ballistic missile.

Related News

Trump to make historic second UK State visit at King's invitation

EU rallies allies as Trump tariff threats push trade tensions higher

They are, however, agile and do not follow the fixed parabolic trajectory of a ballistic missile, making them more difficult to track. 

Could China "Negate" US Missile Defense Systems?

According to Taylor Fravel, a specialist on Chinese nuclear weapons strategy who was uninformed of the test, a hypersonic glide vehicle loaded with a nuclear payload may allow China to "negate" US missile defense systems designed to destroy incoming ballistic missiles.

“Hypersonic glide vehicles . . . fly at lower trajectories and can maneuver in flight, which makes them hard to track and destroy,” said Fravel, a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 

Fravel noted that if China fully developed and deployed such a weapon, it would be "destabilizing," but he cautioned that a test did not necessarily indicate Beijing would deploy the capabilities.

Tensions between the US and China have escalated as the Biden administration has adopted a firm stance against Beijing.

Moreover, China has refused to engage the US in negotiations about its nuclear arsenal and policies since it is not committed to any arms control agreements.

  • United States
  • China
  • Hypersonic Missile

Most Read

Hezbollah SG reveals war details on Al Mayadeen for the first time

Hezbollah SG reveals war details on Al Mayadeen for the first time

  • Politics
  • 8 Jul 2025
Major ambush in Gaza kills 6 Israeli troops, injures dozens

Major ambush in Gaza kills 5 Israeli troops, injures 14

  • Politics
  • 8 Jul 2025
Israeli soldiers are seen in Beit Hanoun ahead of an operation by the al-Qassam Brigades, undated (Al-Qassam Brigades Military Media)

'Israel' on blast as media exposes report discrepancies in Gaza ambush

  • Palestine
  • 8 Jul 2025
Yemen Navy sinks ETERNITY C ship, shares footage of operation

Yemen Navy sinks ETERNITY C ship, shares footage of operation

  • Politics
  • 9 Jul 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
The Freedom Flotilla ship Handala as it departs for Gaza, where it aims to break the maritime blockade at a port in Syracuse, Sicily in southern Italy on July 13, 2025. (AFP)
Palestine

Freedom Flotilla's Handala departs Sicily in bid to break Gaza siege

The container ship CMA CGM Laperouse, left, docks at the Georgia Ports Authority's Port of Savannah, Sept. 29, 2021, in Savannah, Ga (AP)
Politics

US shipbuilding woes deepen as tariffs, outdated policies backfire

Gaza war raises ethical questions for ex-Obama, Biden officials
Politics

Mercenary firm tied to Gaza war crimes hires Obama-Biden PR operatives

'Israel' targets children in Gaza collecting water
Palestine

'Israel' strikes Gaza kids fetching water, blames it on 'malfunction'

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS