China announced the successful launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) carrying a dummy warhead into the Pacific Ocean on Wednesday.
The missile, launched at 08:44 local time (04:44 GMT), reportedly fell into “expected sea areas,” according to China’s defense ministry, which described the test as part of “routine” annual training.
While the exact type of missile used and its flight path remain unclear, analysts believe the ICBM in question was likely a DF-41, China’s longest-range missile, capable of traveling up to 12,000 kilometers and carrying multiple nuclear warheads. The DF-41 road-mobile intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) is designed to reach speeds of up to Mach 25, making it one of the most advanced weapons in China’s arsenal.
This test marks a departure from China’s typical testing practices, which usually take place within its own territory, often in the Taklamakan Desert in Xinjiang. It is believed to be the first time since 1980 that China launched an ICBM into international waters, with the missile reportedly targeting an area near the French Polynesian islands in the South Pacific.
BREAKING:
China just conducted its first full test launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) in 44 years
DF-41 is China’s longest-range missile, capable of reaching a speed of Mach 25 & is designed to carry up to 10 nuclear warheads
It landed near French Polynesia pic.twitter.com/xauEpl47kb
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) September 25, 2024
“Unless I’m missing something, I think this is essentially the first time this has happened – and been announced as such – in a long time,” said Ankit Panda, a nuclear weapons expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Panda noted that while China described the test as “routine” and part of its “annual” training, it is unusual for Beijing to conduct such tests outside its borders.
Chinese state media reported that relevant countries had been informed in advance, but Japan said it received no prior notice. “There was no notice from the Chinese side in advance,” Japan’s government spokesman, Yoshimasa Hayashi, told reporters on Wednesday.
The test launch has raised concerns among China’s regional neighbors and global powers, especially as Beijing continues to modernize its nuclear forces amid growing tensions with the United States and its allies in the Asia-Pacific region. Analysts suggest that the ICBM test could be a demonstration of China’s strategic capabilities, particularly its ability to strike distant targets, including those within the U.S.
The DF-41 missile is designed to carry up to 10 nuclear warheads, allowing it to deliver multiple strikes simultaneously. With a range capable of reaching nearly any point on the globe, the DF-41 provides China with a formidable nuclear deterrent.