Description

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This hearing on "China's Advanced Weapons" will examine a specific set of technologies that China's military is considering or pursuing. In framing the hearing topic as "advanced weapons," the hearing will focus on military technologies at or near the global technological frontier-weapons just now coming into development or not yet developed by any nation. As China has narrowed the technological gap with the United States over decades of investments in military modernization, it has become increasingly important to consider Beijing's efforts to develop new and potentially revolutionary weapons systems. China has reportedly conducted seven tests of its hypersonic glide vehicle since 2014. It has deployed not one but two antiship ballistic missiles, one of which has a stated range that reaches past the U.S. island of Guam. We hear of longstanding efforts to develop directed energy weapons, and see evidence of China testing a wide range of counterspace systems that could put vulnerable U.S. space assets at risk. China is making major advances in areas such as unmanned systems and artificial intelligence, aided by rapid commercial progress in these sectors. As the new Congress focuses on national security challenges, it is critical to consider China's efforts to develop and field advanced weapons and the implications for the United States. Panel I will examine China's programs for the development of hypersonic and maneuverable re-entry vehicles. Panel II will examine directed energy and electromagnetic weapons development by China. Finally, Panel III will examine developments in China's counterspace, unmanned, and artificial intelligence-enabled systems.