US Confirms Chinese Hypersonic Weapons That Can Evade Its Missile Defences

A senior official called China's speed in developing missile capabilities "stunning."

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley. 

(Photo: Twitter)

The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley, officially confirmed and warned of China's hypersonic weapons test that is, according to experts, proof about the Chinese pursuit of an Earth-orbiting system that would have the capacity to shake of the missile defence systems of the US.

While officials of the Biden administration have shown some worry about the development of China's hypersonic system, Milley confirmed for the first time the findings of a Financial Times investigation that claimed that China had tested a nuclear-capable hypersonic weapon that travels faster than five times the speed of sound.

Experts say that the current state of US defence systems cannot resist a formidable Russian or Chinese and the American pursuit of advanced missile defence systems has made its two rivals experiment ways to neutralise, such as hypersonics.

China seems to be using a technology known as Fractional Orbital Bombardment System (FOBS) first developed by the Soviets during the 1960s.

It is different from an intercontinental ballistic missile because it follows a lower trajectory, making is extremely difficult for defence systems to detect, the Financial Times reported.

The second most senior general of the US military, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General John Hyten, said on Thursday, 28 October, that China's speed in developing missile capabilities is "stunning" and the US development of the same is hampered due to "brutal" bureaucracy, according to CCN.

These developments have occurred in the backdrop of heightens Sino-American tensions over Taiwan and a failed US hypersonic test only last week.

(With inputs from Reuters, CNN, and Financial Times)