{"id":28626,"date":"2023-04-18T23:35:31","date_gmt":"2023-04-18T23:35:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/federaltimes\/uncategorized\/2023\/04\/18\/pentagon-yes-we-are-still-lagging-behind-chinas-hypersonics\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T20:16:11","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T20:16:11","slug":"pentagon-yes-we-are-still-lagging-behind-chinas-hypersonics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/federaltimes\/congress\/2023\/04\/18\/pentagon-yes-we-are-still-lagging-behind-chinas-hypersonics\/","title":{"rendered":"Pentagon: Yes, we are still lagging behind China\u2019s hypersonics"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/atype-video-jwplayer>
House Armed Services Committee members level tough questions at a Navy admiral on the U.S. ability to match China’s missile capabilities in coming years.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n

House Armed Services Committee members grilled Pentagon leaders Tuesday on why the U.S. military continues to lag behind China in developing hypersonic missiles and defenses that can counter the next-generation ordnance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the leaked Pentagon intelligence <\/a>documents, obtained by Navy Times, shows that Beijing tested a hypersonic missile this year that could hit targets beyond Japan and the U.S. territory of Guam, where U.S. forces are based, and carry a \u201chigh probability\u201d of besting American ballistic missile defenses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s the latest reminder that despite billions of dollars spent, and a defense budget that keeps growing, the U.S. still trails China\u2019s progress developing key cutting-edge weaponry, raising uncomfortable questions about how America would fare in a shooting war in the Pacific.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beijing\u2019s February test saw the DF-27 cover 2,100 kilometers, or 1,300 miles, in just 12 minutes, according to the leaked records. Past Defense Department assessments have warned of even longer DF-27 ranges<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTheir progress is undeniable,\u201d Rep. Doug Lamborn, R-Colo., said at the hearing. \u201cBy contrast, our progress has been slow and has lacked urgency.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

U.S. Indo-Pacific Command leader Adm. John Aquilino admitted the Pentagon is behind Beijing on hypersonic weapons and the systems to defend against them, agreeing that progress \u201cneeds to go faster.\u201d The man charged with potentially leading a war against the ascendant power called the velocity of China\u2019s nuclear breakout \u201cconcerning,\u201d but said direct conflict is not inevitable.<\/p>\n\n\n\t