This is the first time the United States has deployed hypersonic missiles so close to China
The US Air Force recently released photos of B-52 bombers carrying AGM-183A hypersonic missiles to Guam
The American website "Aviator" declared on March 2: "This is the first time the United States has deployed hypersonic missiles so close to China."
A B-52 bomber carrying AGM-183A missiles
"Eurasia Times" said that the AGM-183A hypersonic missile is an enhanced glide hypersonic weapon. The warhead in the waverider configuration is first sent to a high altitude by a solid rocket motor, then separates from the rocket and is launched at speeds of up to 15 A Mach through the atmosphere until it destroys its target.
US officers and soldiers receive "hypersonic weapons familiarity training" in Guam
Compared to traditional missiles, the AGM-183A's warhead is much smaller. The report explains that “at such high speeds, traditional explosive warheads are not necessary, and the enormous kinetic energy of the warhead alone is sufficient to destroy most targets.” The U.S. Air Force defines the AGM-183A as “an operational air-launched hypersonic weapon that enables the United States to emplace stationary, high-value, time-sensitive targets at risk of standoff in contested environments.” sufficient ranged strike capability to destroy adversary strategic targets in deep interior areas."
AGM-183A hypersonic missile is a boost-glide hypersonic weapon. Schematic diagram
Additionally, the B-52 bomber force deployed by the United States in Guam also deserves attention. According to the report of the Japanese Kyodo News Agency on the 2nd, the Japan Air Self-Defense Force announced that the US Air Force sent two B-52 strategic bombers to fight with the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force fighters in the Sea of Japan. Joint training has been implemented in the East China Sea. On February 19, B-52 bombers taking off from Guam also went to the South China Sea to conduct joint exercises with the Philippine Air Force.
Chinese experts interviewed by the Global Times believe that Guam is far from the Asian continent and has a relatively safe geographical position, thus becoming a strategic location for the US military in the Asia-Pacific region and the main base of US B-52 bombers.
Although the bomber has been in service for decades, with its ultra-long range and considerable bomb load, it can still launch different types of advanced weapons to strike adversaries' important targets in an autonomous attack mode. In recent years, whenever the United States has needed to implement strategic deterrence against hot spots in the Asia-Pacific, it has routinely sent B-52 bombers to carry out “long-range strikes.”
Chinese experts believe that the US Air Force's display of B-52 bombers carrying AGM-183A hypersonic missiles in Guam not only has the potential meaning of "China demonstration", but also has the intention of accelerating the familiarization of the US military stationed in Guam with the characteristics of hypersonic weapons.
Also according to Chinese military experts, "judging from the training plans of the US military, regardless of whether the AGM-183A missile project is 'resurrected', US hypersonic missile weapons will inevitably be prioritized for future deployment in Asia- Pacific".
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