China’s furtive underwater nukes test the Pentagon
Fleet of nuclear-armed submarines marks a breakthrough in Beijing’s drive to rival the US and Russia as a military power
Hong Kong — China is making significant advances towards achieving a more reliable second-strike nuclear capability, bolstering its deterrence against an attack on its land-based nuclear weapons, Reuters reveals on Thursday in a special report. Until recently, China lacked a powerful second-strike option. But now its ballistic missile submarines, which can deliver nuclear weapons capable of striking the US, are changing that. Evidence of China’s progress can be found in satellite imagery reviewed by Reuters. These images show the presence of nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines at a strategic base in southern China. They also reveal facilities at the base that appear to have been built for the storing and loading of ballistic missiles. Off China’s shores, warships and aircraft designed to protect submarines can now be spotted conducting regular patrols. And the man now commanding Chinese forces in the south is a veteran submariner. Together, this points to China having a fl...
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