What do the leaked US intelligence files say about China’s military?

The documents refer to Chinese navy and missile tests, including the DF-27 hypersonic glide vehicle

Material points to American reliance on technology to get information about China, former tabloid editor says

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The leaked documents are believed to have first appeared on messaging app Discord in early March and have not been individually authenticated by US officials. Photo: Handout

Published: 8:16pm, 14 Apr 2023Updated: 5:49am, 15 Apr 2023

A Chinese hypersonic weapon has a high chance of being able to get through US ballistic missile defence systems, according to reports of a trove of leaked US intelligence documents.

The leaked documents, labelled “secret” and “top secret”, are believed to have first appeared on messaging app Discord in early March and have not been individually authenticated by US officials.

In addition to discussion of Ukraine and Russian President Vladimir Putin, the material gives a glimpse into China’s recent military activities, including its naval and missile tests.

CNN and the Washington Post reported that one document detailed a test of China’s DF-27 hypersonic glide vehicle on February 25, saying the vehicle flew for 12 minutes across 2,100km (1,300 miles) and had a “high probability” of penetrating US ballistic missile defence systems.

The US government said publicly last year that a long-range DF-27 ballistic missile was “in development” with a range of 5,000-8,000km, suggesting that it could be a new intermediate-range or intercontinental ballistic missile.

CNN reported that another document noted the manoeuvres of the Chinese navy’s Yushen LHA-31 helicopter-carrying assault ship, a vessel that is expected to play a vital role in a potential military campaign against Taiwan.

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