How China would hit US bases from California to Japan with ‘invincible’ hypersonic missiles in Pearl Harbor-style strike
CHINA could strike US bases from California to Japan with “invincible” hypersonic missiles, experts have warned.
Beijing has built up a huge arsenal of hypersonic weapons – dubbed “carrier killers” – aimed at neutralising the power of the US Navy and attacking American facilities in the Pacific.
Beijing has already demonstrated its military might by launching two hypersonic nuclear missiles which circled the world and “defied the laws of physics”.
As tensions continue to mount between Washington and Beijing over Taiwan, US officials fear China could use hypersonic weapons to wipe out American warplanes and bases in Japan or Guam in the event of a war.
And experts have now warned China is using green lasers fired from satellites to gather intelligence for surprise missile attacks.
The lasers spotted over Hawaii were initially thought to be coming from a NASA satellite, but it turned out it was the Daqi-1 – a Chinese pollution monitoring satellite.
Rick Fisher, an expert on China’s military from the International Assessment and Strategy Center, said the satellite is “a classic case of a Chinese dual use” of civilian tech that also serves military missions.
He told The Sun Online that China’s laser activity could pave the way for a surprise Pearl Habor-style missile attack on Hickham – a joint US Navy and Air Force facility.
But Fisher also warned the Chinese People’s Liberation Army could target other US bases from Japan to California.
“Indeed there is an increasing Chinese threat to Hawaii but in a general war over Taiwan the PLA will also likely target US facilities in Japan, South Korea, Alaska and California,” he said.
“Chinese weather satellites that use green lasers can assist the precise targeting of Hypersonic Glide Vehicle warheads that will be carried by air launched ballistic missiles launched by Xian H-6N bombers, that can be refuelled in order to reach Hawaii.”
He explained: “The Daqi-1’s lasers specifically monitor the density of the atmosphere and can detect different wind directions.
“This is precisely the data required for China to accurately target small multiple reentry vehicle nuclear warheads or more recent Hypersonic Glide Vehicle warheads.
“HGV warheads seek to exploit low trajectories that are also low altitude and thus are very vulnerable to adverse weather conditions, necessitating the weather data precision that would be available from laser measurements.”
China’s arsenal of hypersonic missiles has previously been described as “game changers” by Western experts.
This week, the US Defence Intelligence Agency warned China might have already deployed a weapon capable of hitting US bases in the Pacific.
US defence officials believe China is now outpacing Russia in its development of the hypersonic weapons – which are capable of moving at speeds greater than five times the speed of sound.
China’s newest missile in service, the DF-17, became fully operational at the beginning of January.
The DF-17 is a medium-range ballistic missile with a range of up to 2,500km.
According to the US military, it is capable of “extreme manoeuvres” and “evasive actions”.
China also has the DF-41 intercontinental ballistic missile – equipped with a hypersonic glide vehicle.
The missile can carry 10 nuclear warheads with a range of more than 14,000km – making it capable of striking any location on Earth, according to Chinese media.
Beijing has also created a hypersonic aircraft prototype called Starry Sky-2 that could transport nuke missiles at six times the speed of sound.
China’s increasing military strength comes as tensions flare between the Washington and Beijing over the issue of Taiwan – which China believes is a breakaway province and not a sovereign nation.
Beijing and Taipei are feared to be sitting on the brink of a conflict which could end up drawing in the US and potentially spiralling into World War Three.
The US has continuously sided with Taiwan as they face increasing military aggression from China.
And tensions heightened further after the US military shot down a suspected Chinese spy balloon.
In a leaked memo at the time, Mike Minihan, Chief of the US Air Force’s Air Mobility Command, said: “My gut tells me we will fight in 2025.”
It comes as UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak flew to the US on Sunday for defence talks with President Joe Biden and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
The world leaders are set to discuss the next phase of the AUKUS nuclear submarine programme – a pact under which the UK and US are assisting Australia in acquiring nuclear-powered submarines.
Downing Street said: “We will build rock-solid global alliances and ensure the UK is at the cutting edge of defence capability, technology and economic resilience.”
Sunak said AUKUS is “binding ties to our closest allies and delivering security, new technology and economic advantage at home”.