US Hypes China’s Hypervelocity Missiles, Still Far from Real Battle

Published in Sina
(China) on 17 January 2014
by Ma Dingsheng (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Mollie Gossage. Edited by Elizabeth Schwartz.
The U.S. media revealed on Jan. 9th that for the first time, the People’s Republic of China's armed forces had tested their superweapon's [ability] to break through the U.S. defense system, a missile that can travel at 10 times the speed of sound. American forces confirmed the news and again requested transparency from the Chinese forces, to “avoid misjudgment.” The press in Hong Kong went along with the crowd, enthusiastically promoting China’s ability to effectively safeguard national interests, finally having attained “global high-speed attack weaponry.” It’s not that they are ignorant; they have a hidden agenda. What is so strange or new about a missile traveling at 10 times the speed of sound? China’s intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) easily travels at more than 20 times the speed of sound — as everyone knows — worldwide, America, Russia, France, Australia, Germany, England, India and others all are developing hypersonic air crafts. Among these, Russia, the American anti-missile system’s number-one adversary, is expected to be able to break through the U.S. missile defense system. Even this does not necessarily keep the Pentagon sleeping with one eye open.

Prompted by an earlier report that China was conducting hypervelocity missile experiments within its borders, the Ministry of National Defense News Bureau answered reporters’ questions; China stated that these trials are not directed at any country or for any particular objective. The West believes Beijing is conducting hypervelocity missile tests tacitly. But within China’s borders, the flight of supersonic aircraft is limited and cannot even reach the stage of testing for actual combat. So-called “Japanese netizens’ outcry over looming catastrophe” and such kinds of hype are simply part of the Western media’s habitual “boy who cried wolf” propaganda battle. One Beijing military expert responded by pointing out that the U.S. military has tested Mach 20 supersonic weaponry, in fact mocking the Pentagon’s failed attempts.

Some U.S. officials said that China’s goal in hypersonic weapons trials is to test out whether or not they can break the U.S. missile defense network. This is in direct disagreement with P.L.A. claims that these tests are not targeted at any state. Military and diplomatic war is fought in just this way. Both nations’ Internet users can get their fill by venting anger in a bout of curses, which should more than fulfill their cravings of pride. Both nations, as nuclear powers, are unlikely to battle; military expenditures would need some justification.

On [Jan.] 14, House Armed Services Committee Chairman Buck McKeon, Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee Chairman J. Randy Forbes and Strategic Forces Subcommittee Chairman Mike Rogers jointly expressed concern over China’s hypersonic missile tests, stating that repeated cuts to defense spending have caused devastating setbacks to American military superiority, while China and other adversaries come ever closer to matching American military strength, or even “appear to be leaping ahead of us.” This is not only targeted at China; the greater fear is that the Russian Strategic Rocket Forces have risen from the ashes. Russian-developed hypersonic experimental aircraft (Mach 6 to Mach 14) has already gone through a great number of ground and wind tunnel tests.

But deployment of these next-generation suborbital weapons in actual combat is still very far off on the horizon for every nation.


美国炒作中国超高速导弹 离实战还差很远

  美国媒体爆料,1月9日解放军首次试验10倍音速的超级武器,图突破美国导弹防御体系。美军确认并再要求中国军力透明,“避免误判”。香港有报刊也跟风起哄;鼓吹中国掌握“全球快速打击武器”才能有效维护国家权益。他们不是无知,就是别有用心。10倍音速的导弹有什么新奇?中国的洲际导弹随便有20多倍音速,如众所知,世界上有美国、俄罗斯、法国、澳大利亚、德国、英国、印度等国都在研制高超音速飞行器,其中俄国是美国反导系统的头号对手,能突破美国导弹防御体系是意料之中。也不见得五角大楼寝食不安。

  针对日前有媒体报道称中国在境内进行超高速导弹试验一事,国防部新闻事务局答记者问;中方这些试验不针对任何国家和特定目标。西方认为北京默认进行超高速导弹试验。但是在境内飞行的航程有限,还达不到实战试验阶段。所谓“日本网友惊叹大难临头”之类炒作,是西方媒体“狼来了”的习惯宣传战。有北京军事专家回应;指美军试验过20马赫的高超音速武器,其实是嘲笑五角大楼失败的尝试。

  一些美军高官表示,中国试验高超音速武器目的是测试能否打破美国的导弹防御网。正是反驳解放军声称这些试验不针对任何国家。军事外交战,本来就这么打。两国网民则各取所需,该骂的发泄一通,该自豪的也过足瘾。两国核大国的仗打不起来,军费也要有所交待。

  美国众议院军委会主席麦基翁和海上力量投送军事委员会主席福布斯和战略力量委员会主席罗杰斯14日联名声明对中国超音速导弹实验担忧说,一次次缩减防务开支令美国军事优势受重挫,同时中国等对手和美国军事力量越来越接近,甚至似乎“正超越我们”。这不但是针对中国,更怕俄国战略火箭军死灰复燃。俄罗斯研制的高超音速试验飞行器(6马赫-14马赫)已做大量的地面试验和风洞吹风试验。

  不过各国这些下一代亚轨道武器离实战使用还远在天边。


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