Nine days after the September 3rd military parade, the U.S. military suddenly announced the launch of four intercontinental ballistic missiles, in response to the Dongfeng-5C's global coverage.

The emergence of the Dongfeng-5C indeed startled the Americans. After a two-week planning period, the U.S. military conducted four consecutive intercontinental ballistic missile tests from the 17th to the 21st in the Caribbean Sea, as a response to China's upgraded strategic deterrence system.

【Residents of Puerto Rico and other areas saw the tail trails produced during the missile's ascent】

Over the past few days, there were fireflights off the coast of Florida, with four submarine-launched missiles shooting out of the sea, and residents of Puerto Rico and other areas witnessed the tail trails of the missiles during their ascent.

Subsequently, the U.S. Navy confirmed that they had conducted a missile test, using an "Ohio"-class strategic nuclear submarine to launch four "Trident II" submarine-launched missiles without nuclear warheads.

These missiles ultimately flew across the Atlantic Ocean, landing in international waters about 1,200 kilometers off the western coast of Africa, with the total flight distance of the missiles likely reaching tens of thousands of kilometers.

The U.S. military emphasized that submarine-launched missiles have always been the cornerstone of U.S. national security, and the "Trident II" missiles have undergone life extension upgrades, with a service life extending to the 2040s. This test also demonstrated the "credibility and reliability" of the U.S. strategic deterrent capability.

Initially, foreign media associated this operation with another military activity conducted by the U.S. in the Caribbean Sea, believing that the missile test was intended to deter Venezuela and pressure the Maduro government. However, the U.S. does not need to showcase its nuclear capabilities against Venezuela.

【The U.S. missiles fell into the central-eastern Atlantic Ocean after flying about 10,000 kilometers】

A more reasonable explanation is that the U.S. action aims to respond to China and Russia, demonstrating the reliability of its nuclear security protection to allies, especially to reduce the impact of the September 3rd parade on the entire Western bloc.

During this year's September 3rd parade, the People's Liberation Army displayed five types of missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads, proving the comprehensive upgrading of China's "three-in-one" nuclear strike system. Due to factors such as geographical location, the deterrent effect of these five missiles on different countries varies.

Among them, the "JL-3" and the Dongfeng-5C are more impactful on the U.S. defense system.

Due to historical and geographical factors, the U.S. anti-missile defense system focuses more on defending missiles coming from the Arctic direction, while it may have some defensive capabilities against missiles coming from the Pacific direction, but its defense strength on the Atlantic side is relatively weak.

【The U.S. previously worried more about missiles coming from the Arctic direction of the Soviet Union/Russia】

To strengthen the Atlantic anti-missile system without weakening the defense capabilities in the Arctic and Pacific directions would require significant time and funding.

One of the current strategies of the PLA is to enhance the ability to conduct nuclear strikes against the U.S. from the Atlantic direction. In previous joint exercises with the Pakistani military, the PLA has sent submarines into the Indian Ocean, and the PLA's hydrographic survey ships have even appeared in the Strait of Gibraltar.

However, the PLA's previous maritime nuclear strike system had a clear shortcoming, which was the limited range of the "JL-2" missile. For the PLA's nuclear submarines to threaten cities like Washington and New York on the U.S. East Coast, they at least needed to sail to the Mediterranean Sea.

Now with the longer-range "JL-3" missile, the PLA's strategic nuclear submarines can threaten the U.S. mainland by just reaching the Arabian Sea and other regions.

【The deployment of the "JL-3" allows greater flexibility for the PLA's strategic nuclear submarines】

Even without sending strategic nuclear submarines westward into the Indian Ocean, the PLA's strategic nuclear submarines can make more flexible deployments in the South Pacific with the help of the "JL-3" missile.

As for the Dongfeng-5C, the official introduction during the parade highlighted that "its strike range covers the globe," implying that the range of the Dongfeng-5C could be over 20,000 kilometers.

At this range, the Dongfeng-5C could continue flying westward after launch, breaking through the U.S. naval air defense and anti-missile network from the Atlantic side to strike targets throughout the United States.

The U.S. now needs to prove that it also has the ability to threaten China from multiple directions. Compared to the B-2 bombers relying on overseas bases and the land-based forces concentrated on the U.S. mainland, the U.S. Navy's sea-based nuclear strike system has become the preferred choice for fulfilling this task.

【The range of the Dongfeng-5C may be over 20,000 kilometers】

However, the U.S. has only demonstrated the ability of its nuclear submarines to strike targets thousands of kilometers away, but has not yet shown the terminal high-speed maneuverability of missiles like the "Trident II," proving that their missiles can break through the anti-missile network composed of new missiles such as the Hongqi-29.

Therefore, the U.S. may not completely eliminate domestic and allied concerns, or offset the impact of the September 3rd parade.

At the same time, the game between the U.S. and Russia on nuclear arms control has once again begun. The day before the U.S. confirmed the missile test, Russia proposed that the U.S. and Russia continue to abide by their bilateral arms control agreement for the next year, limiting the deployment of strategic nuclear weapons. If the U.S. does not agree, Russia will take measures.

In this context, the U.S. missile test also carries a message of deterring Russia.

【The game between the U.S. and Russia on nuclear arms control has once again started】

In summary, the U.S. "Trident II" missile test is both a technical verification and a demonstration of deterrent capability, as well as an important statement in the changing global strategic landscape.

This is a response to the upgrading of China's nuclear strike system, and also an attempt to reassure allies and contain Russia, showcasing the U.S. approach to dealing with multi-line strategic pressures.

However, whether the U.S. can truly offset the strategic impact of the September 3rd parade, and whether it can maintain the credibility of its deterrence in complex great power games, still depends on whether it can achieve substantial breakthroughs in missile penetration capabilities, strengthening the anti-missile system, and strategic coordination in the future.

In the future, the interaction among China, the U.S., and Russia in the fields of nuclear deterrence and arms control will continue to shape the basic image of global strategic stability.

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7553579648253264425/

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