• China claims lead with world’s first land-based scramjet hypersonic missile Chinese state-backed media say the CJ-1000 could leave traditional air defense systems “powerless,” though such claims remain independently unverified. • China has surpassed the US in the race to develop practical scramjet-powered land-based systems, according to reports from Chinese state-owned media. • The nation’s long-range hypersonic CJ-1000 missile is the first land-based variant of its kind. • Though the US is racing to boost its own hypersonic capabilities, CJ-1000 is also currently the only land-based variant in operation. • The CJ-1000 was shown off alongside the ship-launched YJ-19 at the Victory Day military parade in Beijing in September last year. • Besides Russia’s ship-based 3M22 “Zircon”, they are the world’s only two operational scramjet-driven hypersonic missiles.
Article Summaries:
- China has announced that its CJ‑1000 missile is the world’s first operational land‑based scramjet hypersonic weapon, a claim that would put it ahead of the United States in the hypersonic race. The missile, displayed at Beijing’s Victory Day parade, can cruise at 20-30 km altitude, reach Mach 6, and has an estimated range of 2,500 km. It is the only land‑based system of its kind, with Russia’s 3M22 “Zircon” and the U.S. still developing similar technology. Chinese state‑backed media attribute the advance to extensive investment and coordinated research, though independent verification remains pending.
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