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China airs footage of aircraft carrier killer nuclear missiles ‘in warning to US’
- CCTV showcases PLA’s most powerful strategic nuclear-capable weapons in eight-part documentary to mark National Day
- Dual-capable Dongfeng missiles likely to pose a great threat to US aircraft carrier strike groups, military analyst warns
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Chinese state media aired footage of the country’s most powerful strategic nuclear-capable weapons, including anti-ship “carrier killers”, to mark National Day, a move seen as a warning to the US as tensions escalate between the rival powers.
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Anti-aircraft carrier DF-21D and DF-26B ballistic missiles as well as new-generation DF-41 intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) – all part of the Dongfeng series – were on display in the new footage for state-owned China Central Television, as part of an eight-part documentary series.
The two anti-ship missiles would pose a threat to US carriers, while the DF-41 ICBM was capable of carrying multiple nuclear warheads with a range of over 12,000km (7,450 miles) to hit any target on the US mainland, noted defence experts, who see the documentary as aimed at strategic deterrence.
At least a dozen DF-26B missiles with launchers, equal to an entire missile brigade, were on show in the CCTV series which aired over the past week to mark the 73rd anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic.
“Showcasing Dongfeng series strategic weapons is a subtle warning to the United States, which is instigating other countries to put on pressure on Beijing over the Taiwan issue, as the fierce Ukraine war also poses a dilemma for China,” said Song Zhongping, a former People’s Liberation Army instructor.
“The PLA Rocket Force’s strategic weapons were supposed to be displayed in National Day military parades, but China organises such big events only once a decade or once in five years, which makes such video footage another option for the PLA to show its muscle to its American counterpart.”
The dual-capable missiles – able to carry both conventional and nuclear warheads – would pose a great threat to the US aircraft carrier strike groups, Song warned.
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