Which is scarier, Chinese or Russian hypersonic missiles? This Intel US Says

WASHINGTON – China go beyond Russia in terms of developing its hypersonic missile capabilities and may already have the means to strike Washington’s forces in the Pacific. This was disclosed by a senior defense official United States of America (US) to members.

Currently, the US alone does not have a fully operational hypersonic missile.

In testimony before the House of Representatives Strategic Forces Subcommittee, Paul Freisthler, the US Defense Intelligence Agency’s (DIA) chief science and technology scientist, compared the hypersonic capabilities of Washington’s two main rivals.

“Although China and Russia have conducted many successful hypersonic weapons tests and may have fielded operational systems, China outperforms Russia in support infrastructure and number of systems,” Freisthler said. RTSaturday (11/3/2023).

Over the past two decades, he continued, Beijing has dramatically advanced the development of its hypersonic missile technology through intensive and focused investment, development, testing and deployment efforts.

“This applies to both conventional and nuclear missiles,” he added.

Freisthler said China had conducted a number of hypersonic missile tests, including one involving the DF-17 medium-range ballistic missile. The projectile, he said, has a hypersonic glide vehicle payload and an estimated range of at least 1,600 km, enabling it to reach US military forces in the Western Pacific.

“The DF-17 missile may have been fielded in early 2020,” the official suspected.