China will soon be able to target the United States with sea-based nuclear weapons as it bolsters its submarine force with long-range nuclear ballistic missiles, a US congressional report has found.
China’s military is set to acquire an incredibly reliable, hard-to-destroy sea-based nuclear deterrent, with a dozen JL-2 missiles that are being carried onboard its JIN class submarines, according to a report submitted to Congress by the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission.
The missiles have a range of around 8700 miles, meaning they can reach all 50 US states if they are launched from waters anywhere west or east of the islands of Hawaii.
See report: http://www.uscc.gov/Annual_Reports/2014-annual-report-congress
See video: PRC set to field nuclear-armed submarine with JL-2 missiles in Pacific Ocean https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R__5yW9RKlA and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06PruJthsdk
Currently, the Chinese can only respond to an attack by the US only with land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles. However, Chinese military officials remain concerned that its land-based weapons has become vulnerable to a US first strike capability due to advancements in surveillance and electronic monitoring that could track their location and movements.
The integration of the new missiles into China’s three JIN-class nuclear-powered submarines has boosted their lethality and capabilities, giving China a credible “second-strike” capability and increasing Beijing’s nuclear deterrence in the event of an attack by the US.
Chinese officials stressed that its policy in this regard is purely defensive in nature.