On July 6, 2026, China fired a long-range ballistic missile from a nuclear-powered submarine into the Pacific Ocean.
What actually happened
The People’s Liberation Army Navy launched a JL-3 submarine-launched ballistic missile from a Type 094 Jin-class submarine at 12:01 p.m. local time. The missile, carrying a dummy warhead, traveled to designated impact zones in the Pacific Ocean. China’s state media described it as routine training.
The JL-3 carries an estimated range exceeding 10,000 km. In practical terms, that means a Chinese submarine operating in waters relatively close to the Chinese mainland can still reach targets deep inside the United States or Europe.
China currently operates six Jin-class submarines, and the navy has been retrofitting them with the longer-range JL-3 to replace the earlier JL-2. The Type 094 platform first achieved initial operational credibility back in 2016 with the JL-2. The JL-3 first launched in 2018 and substantially enhances China’s nuclear reach, now extending to the continental United States while stationed near its coastline, including the South China Sea.
