Comments by "ZIPZ" (@zipz8423) on "China Tests Hypersonic Glide Vehicle, Pentagon Shocked, Talks of China's 'Astounding Progress'" video.

  1. Did this weapon orbit in LEO under its own power? I highly doubt that was the case. More likely it was inserted into orbit by the booster rocket and was released in mid course after a perfectly normal orbit. It’s similar to banned 1960s FOBS. The Chinese have been developing this capability for a long time, the US are just surprised they are so far along in this program. Russia in my view doesn’t share this type of technology because they fear it could be used against them. Remember that the US developed AMARV which was a glide vehicle in the 1970s which was an advanced manoeuvring RV. It was likely an RV with retractable air brake type aerofoils. The problem with these types of weapon has always been the same, they travel too fast to actually hit anything if manoeuvring in the terminal phase. Seems to be the issue the Chinese have just ran into. If it has a guidance system it has to slow down to use it, any manoeuvring will also slow the vehicle. The reason why China has developed these weapons is to circumvent US ballistic missile defences as you mentioned, this was always the warning defence analysts spoke about 20 years ago.
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  2. I agree.
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  3. The technology itself isn’t new. The Chinese having the capability is new.
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  4.  @et683  China needed a way to counter US BMD, the US has never required these types of weapons because China cannot counter US strategic missile forces. Only Chinese Chefs took part in this cook out 👍
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  5. It’s a mistake to believe the US is falling behind in strategic weapons capability. The Chinese and Russians cannot counter US Ballistic missiles. The US has not had to develop glide vehicles for this reason, however the US demonstrated a similar weapon in 1979 designed to specifically counter Moscow ABM defences and some limited ICBM Silo ABM defences but it was a manoeuvring RV rather than a glide vehicle. Same aims. As for holding the USN at risk, I think the Russians and Chinese have this as a primary objective, rather than a strategic missile advantage. They know very well US BMD cannot completely counter their own strategic missiles.
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