Ground cruise missile designed for ultra-long-range strikes could hit enemy targets from thousands of kilometres away
China has not officially disclosed the detailed specifications of the CJ-1000. Though a new weapon must pass many rounds of field tests before entering service, no test results have yet been published by the authorities.
However, if the parade description is confirmed, the weapon could be the first hypersonic plane-killing missile that would rewrite the rules of aerial warfare.
The PLA has indicated it will mainly target command-and-control nodes, meaning any aircraft critical for entire military operations – including Air Force One – could be at risk.
According to an August paper by researchers with China’s National Defence University (NDU), the PLA is actively simulating and training senior military commanders for the use of ultra-long-range surface-to-air weapons that would operate under much higher command authorities than traditional air defence weapons due to their unusually long range and strategic impact.
