26 August 2015

Editorial: Should the Pentagon Fear China’s Newest Weapon?

By Franz-Stefan Gady

Beijing conducted yet another test of a new high-tech hypersonic glide vehicle.

Last Wednesday, China conducted its fifth test of the WU-14 hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV) – an ultra high-speed missile purportedly capable of penetrating U.S. air defense systems based on interceptor missiles, Bill Gertz of The Washington Free Beacon reports.

“The latest test of what the Pentagon calls the Wu-14 hypersonic glide vehicle was carried out from the Wuzhai missile test range in central China. The test was judged successful, according to defense officials familiar with details of the event,” Gertz notes.

This was the fifth time that China tested this new weapon (See: “Will This Chinese Weapon Be Able to Sink an Aircraft Carrier?”) and it could be an indication that the W-14 may soon become operational.

Similar to the June 7 test, the WU-14 HGV again performed evasive actions - extreme maneuvers – which makes the detection and tracking of the weapon difficult, if not impossible.

Read the full story at The Diplomat