Staff Correspondent, Dhaka:
China’s reported development of a maneuverable air-to-air hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV) could add a new dimension to the evolving military balance between China and the United States.
The reported system combines a ballistic missile with an HGV that can travel at more than five times the speed of sound while making adjustments during flight. This maneuverability could make such weapons more difficult for conventional defense systems to track and intercept.
One potential implication is the ability to target aircraft that support military operations from behind the frontline. These could include airborne command posts, refueling tankers, and electronic warfare aircraft. Such platforms are important for maintaining air operations, although their vulnerability would depend on the missile’s actual range, accuracy, guidance, and operational deployment.
A DF-17-based HGV is estimated to have a range of about 1,500 miles, potentially bringing areas around Guam within its reach. Longer-range systems, including those associated with the DF-27, could extend the potential coverage considerably. However, reported ranges do not necessarily translate directly into effective operational capability.
The development also comes as the United States faces pressure to maintain adequate stocks of several types of missiles and interceptors following recent military operations. Any reduction in available defensive systems could become a consideration in planning for a prolonged conflict.
China already maintains a large ballistic missile force, including the long-range DF-41. HGV technology, however, represents a different approach because of its combination of speed, maneuverability, and potentially extended reach.
The reported development does not by itself indicate a fundamental shift in the military balance. Important questions remain about the system’s readiness, production capacity, targeting accuracy, and performance against advanced defense networks.
Nevertheless, the development illustrates how both countries are continuing to invest in technologies designed to improve long-range strike and defensive capabilities. If confirmed and deployed at scale, China’s HGV development could become another factor influencing US-China strategic planning, particularly around the Indo-Pacific and Taiwan.
