The Chinese Defense Ministry confirmed the fourth test of a hypersonic nuclear delivery vehicle، which the US had called “extreme maneuver”، during a time when the tension between the two powers increase in South China Sea.
The test of the hypersonic glide vehicle، which the US had dubbed the “WU-14” carried out its test on 7th June، and is the fourth test in the past 18 months.
“The scheduled scientific research and experiments in our territory is normal، and those tests are not targeted at any country and specific goals،” said the Chinese Defense Ministry in response to a report published Thursday on Free Beacon.
The strategic، delivery vehicle is extremely advanced and can travel 10 times faster than the speed of sound، 12،231.01kph.
US missile defenses can only counter ballistic missiles and warheads that has a predictable trajectories، however the WU-14 is capable of maneuvering itself in mid-flight at the edge of space، making it difficult to shoot down.
US defense intelligence authorities have called the tests as “extreme maneuvers” but experts of the field state that the test was timed to coincide with a visit to Washington by Fan Changlong، vice-chairman of Central Military Commission.