China Develops Missile to Target Planes Thousands of Kilometers Away
China’s missile arsenal now includes weapons that can threaten tankers and command aircraft thousands of kilometres away, according to a person with direct knowledge.
- China has developed hypersonic glide vehicles capable of launching air-to-air weapons to threaten high-value aircraft thousands of kilometers away, a capability no other country is known to operate.
- This breakthrough is part of a larger effort by China to use its missile arsenal—the world's largest at more than 3,150 ballistic weapons—for nearly every military task, according to a person with direct knowledge of the matter.
- Using ballistic missiles to attack distant aircraft is risky and difficult, requiring precise targeting information; the long "kill chain" makes operations easy to disrupt, while 20 minutes or more flight time risks nuclear misidentification.
- On Aug 22, Navy tested the AIM-424 Malice air-to-air missile with a range exceeding 482km, amid supply struggles after six months of war with Iran.
- The China Aerospace Studies Institute reported in 2026 that China's missile modernization efforts "increasingly prioritise the ability to inflict coordinated, system-level damage across an adversary," threatening support aircraft including the E-4B Nightwatch.
13 Articles
13 Articles
China’s new hypersonic missile puts US on notice
China has escalated the hypersonic arms race with a new class of manoeuvrable warhead designed to strike aircraft thousands of miles away while evading interception. According to a report from The Telegraph, Beijing has developed an air-to-air hypersonic glide vehicle capable of targeting high-value support planes far from any combat zone, placing American aerial operations […]
China develops missile to target planes thousands of miles away
China has developed hypersonic glide vehicles capable of launching air-to-air weapons. These advanced weapons threaten high-value targets thousands of miles away. The US faces missile supply challenges after a recent conflict with Iran. China's missile arsenal has grown significantly, increasing its military capabilities. Such developments pose a serious threat to future US air operations.
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 67% of the sources lean Right
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
