China’s second hypersonic glider test fails as PLA trials nuclear weapons delivery system
The PLA has carried out a second, albeit unsuccessful test of a hypersonic vehicle, as China attempts to find a way to deliver nuclear weapons at immense speed to evade defence systems.
The People's Liberation Army has carried out a second, albeit unsuccessful test of a hypersonic vehicle, two sources close to the military said, as China attempts to find a way to deliver nuclear weapons at immense speed to evade defence systems.
The test was carried out on August 7 at a missile and satellite launching centre in Shanxi province, about 300 kilometres from its capital Taiyuan, said the sources, who asked not be named.
The vehicle broke up soon after it was launched. It was the second time the PLA has tested the system, the two sources said.
The first test took place on January 9, and it was confirmed by the National Defence Ministry as successful a few days later.
The latest model is designed to be carried by a ballistic missile to an undisclosed suborbital altitude, then released. The vehicle then dives towards its target at speeds of up to Mach 10, more than 12,000km/h.
The United States is the only other nation known to have developed similar technology. China first tested the technology successfully in January. Russia and India are also known to be developing similar vehicles.
