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Significance
Russia and China have several hypersonic weapons in service or near readiness. This class of weapon is raising concerns in the conventional and strategic realms, where security tensions are already high. A Chinese weapon tested this year created new concerns by reportedly spending time in near-earth orbit.
Impacts
Governments will review the survivability of their nuclear forces as a hypersonic arms race develops.
The reported Chinese test of an orbital system will increased US call to bring hypersonic technologies into arms control discussions.
Chinese advances will spur Washington and some of its regional allies to develop defensive and offensive options to counter such systems.
Keywords:
International,
RUCIS,
China,
Russia,
United States,
INT,
international relations,
aerospace,
defence,
foreign policy,
military,
talks,
treaty,
Aerospace & defence
© Oxford Analytica 2021. All rights reserved. This content contains general information about geopolitical, macroeconomic and social developments or (where stated) other matters. It does not contain advice or recommendations that may be relied on. Where links to external websites are provided, this does not indicate that Oxford Analytica or Emerald agree with, endorse or have checked for accuracy the contents of said sites.
2021
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