Micah McCartney
The Chinese Rocket Force's increasingly capable missile fleet is a growing threat to U.S. bases and security partners in the Asia-Pacific, top Pentagon officials told lawmakers.
Newsweek reached out to the Chinese Foreign Ministry via email for comment outside of office hours.
Why It Matters
The People's Liberation Army Rocket Force (PLARF) is responsible for China's missile and nuclear arsenal and is a key component of Beijing's efforts to surpass Washington as the region's leading military power.
In some areas, the Rocket Force's capabilities have already surpassed those of the United States, such as with its so-called "carrier killer" hypersonic missiles. While these weapons remain untested in combat, they could potentially keep American forces at bay in a wartime scenario.
What To Know
"The PLA's Rocket Force (PLARF) is advancing its long-term modernization plans to enhance its strategic deterrence capabilities," read a written testimony by U.S. Air Force and Space Force leadership prepared for a Senate Appropriations Committee budget hearing.
China's missile arsenal is estimated to include 400 ground-launched cruise missiles capable of reaching anywhere within the so-called First Island Chain, a stretch of islands from Japan to Indonesia that Washington considers crucial for containing China's navy in the event of a conflict, such as one over Beijing-claimed Taiwan.
A DF-17 missile on display during a military parade at Tiananmen Square in Beijing on October 1, 2019. Greg Baker/AFP via Getty Images
China is also believed to field 1,300 intermediate-range ballistic missiles that can strike targets even further afield, threatening the Second Island Chain, which includes U.S. military bases in Guam.
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