China Testing Ballistic Missile ‘Carrier-Killer’ -- The Danger Room
Last week, Adm. Robert Willard, the head of U.S. Pacific Command (PACOM), made an alarming, but little-noticed disclosure. China, he told legislators, was “developing and testing a conventional anti-ship ballistic missile based on the DF-21/CSS-5 [medium-range ballistic missile] designed specifically to target aircraft carriers.”
What, exactly, does this mean?
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My Comment: The US has also been looking at developing such a weapon system .... but for anti-terrorism purposes. The problem with such a system is that when used the other side will not be able to determine if it is carrying a nuclear payload .... or a conventional one. All countries will assume the worse, and will take counter measures immediately.
If the Chinese are developing such a capability .... and it clearly appears that they are .... they are raising the nuclear threat level to a very dangerous point.
I've had a hard time getting very worked up about this, since the Navy has demonstrated, repeatedly, an ability to detect, classify, target, engage and destroy IRBMs. In many ways, it is an easier problem than building an IRBM with terminal homing to target carriers.
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