China has developed a clandestine Dongfeng-27 hypersonic ballistic missile with a range of 8,000 km and a speed of more than 10,000 km/h to destroy US bases in Hawaii, Guam, Alaska and Japan

The South China Morning Post reports that the Chinese army has a secret hypersonic ballistic missile in service. It is called the Dongfeng-27 (DF-27). China has not officially announced the weapon.

Here's What We Know

According to a source cited by the South China Morning Post, the medium-range hypersonic ballistic missile has been in service with the People's Liberation Army of China for more than four years. It is capable of hitting US military bases in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.

Although China has kept the DF-27 a secret, the US Department of Defense mentioned the missile in its 2021 annual report. The document stated that the missile has a launch range of up to 8,000 km, which is enough to hit targets in Hawaii, and a speed of over 10,000 km/h.

The missile also appears in intelligence documents that appeared in the media earlier this year. In particular, it is noted that the Chinese People's Liberation Army conducted a successful test of the DF-27 on February 25. The documents suggest that the missile has a high chance of penetrating the US missile defence system.

The US responded to the development of the DF-27 by deciding to strengthen its missile defence system on Guam. Patriot surface-to-air missile systems have been deployed on the island and work is underway to install THAAD systems.

The Pentagon is investing $1.5 billion in fiscal year 2024 to strengthen Guam's air defenses. In addition to THAAD and Patriot, the island is protected by the Aegis system.

Source: scmp