Chinese Nuclear Weapon Growth Stuns US, Russia
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The submarine, scheduled to be launched at the end of this year, was spotted by a US satellite in the waters near the coast of Dalian. The 16 JL-2 ballistic guided missiles have a range of 8,000 to 12,000 kilometers.
It is China's first reliable submarine-launched nuclear intimidation measure and the first time that "China's nuclear arsenal will be invulnerable to a first strike," said Nicolas Giacometti, an independent strategist who has written analysis for the Center for Strategic and International Studies. The country has solidified its ability to retaliate with nuclear force on the submarine.
The JL-2 ballistic missile on the latest nuclear submarine suggests that China has developed a well-rounded missile that can be fired from both land and sea, given that the JL-2 was reportedly modified from the land-based DF-31 missile. The Chinese missile has a launch speed faster than other ballistic missiles, making satellites difficult to detect its launch.
On land, more trouble for the US on the move in the form of China's mobile ballistic missiles. The weapon is extremely difficult to detect since it can be launched from a wide range of areas, including highways. Washington was stunned when China launched its first mobile ballistic missile in September, a move that put China's nuclear capabilities in competition with Russia and the US and proved that Beijing now has the ability to counterstrike invaders with nuclear weapons. The US government has attempted to monitor mobile ballistic missiles around the world, 24 hours a day, for years to no avail. It plans to launch 21 satellites between 2015 and 2020 in attempt to reach this target.
