Beijing displayed its latest strategic weapons in a high-profile military parade, emphasizing its growing nuclear capabilities and advanced military technology. The event featured a complete nuclear triad—air, sea, and land-based delivery systems—signaling the country’s commitment to expanding its strategic deterrent forces.
The parade included four new DF-61 intercontinental ballistic missiles, each transported on massive 16-wheel launchers. Analysts estimate their range at approximately 7,500 miles, sufficient to reach major targets across the Pacific. These weapons represent the latest addition to China’s expanding nuclear arsenal, which reportedly includes eight or nine different intercontinental ballistic missile types.
Complementing the land-based systems were JL-3 submarine-launched ballistic missiles with ranges exceeding 6,200 miles, designed for deployment on China’s Jin-class submarines. The demonstration also featured China’s first publicly shown air-launched nuclear weapon, the JL-1, placing the country among the handful of nations possessing all three nuclear delivery methods.
The country’s nuclear stockpile is reportedly growing at a rapid pace, with current estimates suggesting an arsenal of approximately 600 warheads expanding by about 100 annually. Some projections indicate this could reach 1,500 warheads by 2035, though this would still represent a smaller inventory than those maintained by other major nuclear powers.
Beyond nuclear systems, the parade showcased several unconventional weapons, including large underwater drones measuring 18-20 meters in length. These substantial unmanned underwater vehicles differ significantly from the smaller maritime drones used in recent conflicts and appear designed to challenge traditional naval dominance in Pacific waters.
Advanced directed-energy weapons also featured prominently, with both ship-based and land-based laser defense systems displayed. Such systems offer potentially cost-effective solutions for countering drone threats, similar to technologies being developed by other military forces.
The event also included four-legged unmanned ground vehicles, though these were transported on vehicles rather than demonstrating autonomous movement capabilities. While similar in appearance to robotic systems seen in other conflict zones, China’s substantial manufacturing capacity could enable mass production of such systems for various military applications.
The comprehensive display of advanced weaponry underscores China’s ongoing military modernization efforts and its focus on developing diverse capabilities across multiple domains of warfare.
