China Successfully Conducts Test of Mid-Course Missile Interception Technology

China Conducts Defensive Mid-Course Missile Interception Test within its Territory on Friday Night, Not Targeted Against Any Country

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China Conducts Successful Ground-Based Mid-Course Missile Interception Test, Demonstrating Progress in Space Defense Capability.

China announced that it has conducted a successful ground-based mid-course missile interception test, indicating advancements in its ability to intercept incoming space weapons.

The test took place on Friday night within Chinese territory and achieved the intended test objective, according to the country’s Defence Ministry.

The ministry stated that the test was defensive in nature and not aimed at any specific country, but did not provide further details such as whether an object was actually struck, the number of interceptors fired, or the landing locations.

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China Conducts Another Successful Mid-Course Missile Interception Test, Raises Concerns about Anti-Satellite Capability. China’s Defence Ministry confirmed that it had conducted a recent mid-course missile interception test, similar to one carried out in February 2021, and reportedly another in 2018.

While the ministry stated that the tests were defensive in nature and not aimed at any specific country, concerns have been raised about China’s potential anti-satellite capabilities.

In 2007, China destroyed a defunct weather observation satellite using a kinetic-kill interceptor, resulting in a massive debris field that continues to pose risks to objects in orbit, including China’s own space station.

China’s military-run space program and missile development efforts are closely linked, with satellite launch centers believed to be used for missile tests.

China is known to have one of the world’s largest arsenals of various types of missiles and is reportedly expanding it rapidly, with a projected increase in its nuclear warhead count from 400 to 1,500 by 2035, according to a Pentagon report.

In comparison, the US has a Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) system with 44 interceptors deployed in Alaska and California, intended to defend the American homeland against rogue attacks. However, concerns remain that this system may be overwhelmed by a large-scale attack from countries such as Russia or China.

The ongoing development of China’s missile defense capabilities and anti-satellite capabilities continues to be a subject of international attention and scrutiny.

North Korea Conducts First Flight Test of Solid-Fuel ICBM, Raising Concerns of Enhanced Threat to US.

On Friday, North Korea announced that it had conducted its first-ever flight test of a solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), which could potentially signify a breakthrough in its pursuit of a more powerful and harder-to-detect weapon capable of targeting the continental United States.

While the US operates anti-missile systems such as Patriot and THAAD that cover smaller geographic areas, previous tests have shown that intercepting incoming missiles is not infallible, with approximately three interceptors often required to bring down one incoming missile.

The successful test by North Korea has raised concerns about an enhanced threat to the US and its missile defense capabilities.

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Toshika Chauhan