19 September 2020

A Case Study Of The PRC's Hypersonic Systems Development


Great Power Competition necessitates understanding with whom one is competing. It also requires understanding the breadth and depth that competition and how your competitor is progressing. Hypersonic systems are an emerging area of military technology with potentially transformative effects. Although different types of hypersonic systems have been in development and testing for more than 60 years, several countries, including the United States and China, have made significant advances in this area in recent years. This report is the next in the series of studies by the China Aerospace Studies Institute that seeks to lay the foundation for better understanding

the Aerospace Sector of the People’s Republic of China (PRC).

As the United States and its allies and partners continue to develop hypersonic systems of their own, as well as the doctrine and tactics that will support not only just their employment, but also how to counter those of an adversary, it is important to understand how the People’s Republic of China is progressing along its path. Drawing on Chinese-language government publications, news articles, authoritative writings on strategy and tactics, and academic studies, this report reviews the organizations and people responsible for developing hypersonic technology in China, the systems and facilities supporting their efforts, and specific hypersonic weapon systems known to be in service or under development in China.

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