China Tests Nuclear-capable Missile that Can Hit Targets 10,000 km Away

The Chinese People's Liberation Army -Navy (PLA-N) on Monday conducted a test launch of a strategic missile launched by a submarine which can hit targets in the continental U.S.

The missile tested is most likely the JL-3, the third-generation submarine launched ballistic missile (SLBM) introduced to equip the PLA-N's nuclear submarines. It is a solid-fueled missile with an intercontinental range surpassing 10,000 km, enabling it to strike the contiguous United States from Chinese coastal waters while carrying multiple warheads.

The JL or Julang series – meaning “big wave” in Chinese – are intercontinental ballistic missiles designed for China's nuclear-powered submarines.

At 12:01 on Monday, the PLA Navy successfully launched a submarine-launched strategic missile carrying a dummy warhead from a strategic nuclear submarine into relevant international waters of the Pacific Ocean, precisely landing in the designated sea area, according to Senior Captain Wang Xuemeng, the PLA Navy spokesperson.

This missile test launch was a routine part of China's annual military training, and relevant countries were notified in advance, Wang said.

The launch marks China's second strategic missile test since it fired an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) into the Pacific Ocean on Sept. 25, 2024, the first such test since 1980.