China’s new hypersonic missiles are able to thwart the sophisticated B-21 nuclear stealth bomber in a major blow to NATO’s first strike capabilities, a new study has claimed.
The Air Force and manufacturer Northrop Grumman have been tight-lipped about the features of the world’s first sixth-generation aircraft and photos of the bomber have revealed little to no detail.
But despite the limited information, a Chinese academic study has now suggested Beijing could thwart the nuclear bomber with its hypersonic weapons.
China’s missiles can reach up to Mach 6, or six times the speed of sound, and are designed to operate in a distinctive trajectory.
The authors of the report claimed the Chinese military was shown to be able to intercept and strike down the B-21 bombers in a simulated war game.
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They said that “a B-21-like stealth platform and its companion drone were both shot down by China’s air-to-air missiles, which can reach a top speed of Mach 6.”
The researchers behind the study are affiliated with Northwestern Polytechnical University in Xi’an, which was subjected to sanctions because of its ties to the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).
Citing the study, The South China Morning Post reported: “China’s hypersonic missiles are built with special features to track and kill stealth aircraft.
“Using a new solid fuel ‘pulse engine’ that can adjust power output at will throughout the flight, the missile can first go up to near space and come down on the enemy aircraft at an extremely high speed.”
The researchers noted that the trajectory of the Chinese missiles could be difficult to predict for US defence because of the greater ground it can cover compared to traditional rockets.
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The authors also claimed the US development of the B-21 bomber directly “forced China to develop countermeasures with new technology.”
Northrop Grumman is believed to currently have six aircraft undergoing testing and the Air Force said it expects the new bomber ready to go into service by 2026.
The Air Force is planning to build 100 of the warplanes, which have a flying wing shape much like their predecessor, the B-2 Spirit, but will incorporate advanced materials, propulsion and stealth technology to make them more survivable in a future conflict.
The plane is planned to be produced in variants with and without pilots.
The B-21 is part of the Pentagon’s efforts to modernise all three legs of its nuclear triad, which includes silo-launched nuclear ballistic missiles and submarine-launched warheads, as it invests in new weapons to meet China’s rapid military modernisation.
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