DOD publicly concedes China winning hypersonic race, dominates near-space for now

By Jason Sherman / November 4, 2021 at 11:25 AM
The Defense Department assesses that China in 2020 fielded a hypersonic strike weapon -- the DF-17, a maneuvering glide body paired with a medium-range ballistic missile with an estimated range of 1,500 miles -- a public declaration that Beijing has operationalized a technology the U.S. military has not yet fielded and tacit admission the Chinese military for now dominates the near-space domain. The Pentagon’s annual report on China’s military developments -- required by law and published Nov. 3 -- notes...

Not a subscriber? Sign up for 30 days free access to exclusive, behind-the-scenes reporting on defense policy and procurement.

Log in to access this content.