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| YJ-19 scramjet air-breathing hypersonic cruise missile. |
BEIJING, September 3, 2025 — China demonstrated its rapidly advancing military capabilities on Wednesday during its largest military parade in six years, unveiling an array of cutting-edge weapons systems that signal a new era in global military technology. The Victory Day parade, commemorating the 80th anniversary of Japan's defeat in World War II, featured several previously unseen hypersonic missile systems, advanced directed-energy weapons, and autonomous underwater vehicles.
Hypersonic Breakthrough: The YJ-19 Takes Center Stage
The parade's most significant revelation was the debut of the YJ-19, marking the world's first publicly displayed operational air-breathing hypersonic cruise missile. Unlike traditional boost-glide hypersonic weapons, the YJ-19 employs a scramjet engine that provides continuous thrust throughout its flight profile, enabling sustained hypersonic speeds exceeding Mach 10.
Military analysts note that the YJ-19's visible air intake distinguishes it from other hypersonic designs, confirming its air-breathing propulsion system. This technology represents a significant advancement over conventional hypersonic weapons, as the scramjet engine allows for greater maneuverability and extended range compared to unpowered glide vehicles.
"The YJ-19 showcases breathtaking aerospace engineering," said defense expert Wang Yunfei. "Its scramjet propulsion system provides tactical advantages that could reshape naval warfare dynamics in contested waters."
New Generation Anti-Ship Missile Family
Alongside the YJ-19, China revealed three additional YJ-series anti-ship missiles, collectively representing a comprehensive upgrade to the People's Liberation Army Navy's (PLAN) maritime strike capabilities:
YJ-15: A compact ramjet-powered supersonic missile with similarities to the existing YJ-12, capable of speeds between Mach 3-4. The system offers cost-effective high-speed maritime strike capabilities and can be launched from multiple platforms including ships, aircraft, and ground-based launchers.
YJ-17: A hypersonic boost-glide waverider configuration missile designed to "skip" on shockwaves during flight. The weapon features a flat warhead optimized for hypersonic speeds and can achieve flexible maneuvering patterns that significantly complicate interception efforts. Reports suggest the YJ-17 can reach speeds up to Mach 8 with a range of approximately 750 miles.
YJ-20: A bi-conical hypersonic missile with a ballistic-style configuration, designed for vertical launch from naval vessels. The weapon's larger size suggests deployment primarily from major surface combatants such as Type 055 destroyers. Its bi-conical design provides shock wave protection for control surfaces during hypersonic flight phases.
All four missiles are compatible with China's Universal Vertical Launch System (UVLS), enabling deployment across the PLAN's modern fleet including Type 055 destroyers and potentially future aircraft carriers.
Strategic Nuclear Modernization: The DF-61 ICBM
China officially revealed its newest intercontinental ballistic missile, the DF-61, transported on massive 16-wheeled transporter-erector-launchers (TELs). Military experts believe the DF-61 represents the successor to the DF-41 ICBM, with enhanced range and payload capabilities.
The Pentagon's 2024 annual report on Chinese military developments noted that Beijing was developing new-generation ICBMs to "significantly improve its nuclear-capable missile forces." Independent assessments suggest China has expanded its nuclear arsenal to approximately 600 warheads, with production capabilities for further expansion.
The parade also featured the DF-31BJ, a silo-based variant of the existing DF-31 system, highlighting China's parallel development of both mobile and fixed strategic missile systems.
Revolutionary Directed-Energy Weapons
For the first time, China publicly displayed operational laser weapon systems designed for anti-drone and air defense missions. Two distinct systems were revealed:
- Naval Laser System: A large directed-energy weapon designed for shipboard air defense, capable of intercepting aircraft and missiles at close range
- Mobile Laser System: A truck-mounted laser weapon for ground force protection, optimized for counter-drone operations
The systems employ high-energy laser beams to physically damage or destroy targets, offering cost-effective alternatives to traditional kinetic interceptors. Each laser engagement costs significantly less than conventional missiles while providing near-instantaneous target engagement.
China also demonstrated high-power microwave weapons capable of disabling multiple drone targets simultaneously through electromagnetic interference, addressing the growing threat of drone swarm attacks.
Advanced Underwater Capabilities
The parade featured China's newest extra-large uncrewed underwater vehicles (XLUUVs), including the AJX002 system. Estimated at approximately 60 feet in length, these autonomous submarines employ pump-jet propulsion for reduced acoustic signatures and extended operational endurance.
Military analysts note that China operates the world's largest XLUUV program, with at least five distinct types reportedly in service. These platforms can conduct intelligence gathering, mine warfare, and anti-submarine operations across vast oceanic distances.
Autonomous Combat Systems
Beyond traditional weapons platforms, the parade showcased China's advancing autonomous military capabilities. Robot dogs mounted on armored vehicles demonstrated potential applications for battlefield logistics, reconnaissance, and potentially combat operations. The systems represent China's integration of artificial intelligence into military operations, reflecting what experts describe as "intelligent warfare" concepts.
Technical Analysis and Implications
The weapons systems displayed represent several technological achievements:
Propulsion Advances: The YJ-19's scramjet engine technology demonstrates China's mastery of hypersonic air-breathing propulsion, a capability that has challenged Western defense programs for decades.
Materials Science: The ability to sustain hypersonic flight requires advanced materials capable of withstanding extreme thermal and structural stresses, indicating significant progress in Chinese aerospace materials.
Guidance Systems: All hypersonic weapons require sophisticated guidance and control systems to maintain accuracy while maneuvering at extreme speeds, suggesting advances in Chinese sensor and computing technologies.
Manufacturing Scale: The diversity and apparent operational readiness of displayed systems indicates substantial manufacturing capabilities and defense industrial capacity.
Regional Security Impact
The new weapons systems significantly alter regional military balance, particularly in the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait. The combination of hypersonic anti-ship missiles and advanced air defense systems creates substantial challenges for traditional U.S. naval operations in the Western Pacific.
The YJ-series missiles' vertical launch compatibility enables widespread deployment across China's modern naval fleet, effectively expanding the PLA Navy's strike envelope. Their hypersonic speeds compress reaction times for defending forces while their maneuverability complicates interception efforts.
International Response
The parade was attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, demonstrating expanding military cooperation among nations challenging Western military dominance.
U.S. and allied defense officials are reportedly conducting detailed assessments of the displayed systems to understand their capabilities and develop appropriate countermeasures. The revelation of operational hypersonic weapons systems is expected to accelerate Western hypersonic and counter-hypersonic development programs.
Looking Forward
Wednesday's parade represents more than a historical commemoration; it signals China's emergence as a peer competitor in advanced military technology. The systems displayed indicate years of intensive research and development investment, with several technologies appearing to exceed current Western capabilities.
The integration of hypersonic weapons, directed-energy systems, and autonomous platforms suggests China's military modernization is approaching a new phase of technological sophistication. As one defense analyst noted, "We're witnessing the debut of weapons systems that could define 21st-century warfare."
The parade confirms China's transformation from a regional military power to a global force capable of challenging established military hierarchies, with implications extending far beyond the Asia-Pacific region.
SIDEBAR: International Attendance and Global Reactions
The "Axis of Upheaval" Gathers
The parade represented what analysts called an unprecedented gathering of an "Axis of Upheaval," with Chinese President Xi Jinping hosting leaders from nations challenging Western-led international order. For the first time in public, Xi appeared alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, with Kim bringing his teenage daughter Kim Ju Ae in what experts view as a clear succession signal.
Key Foreign Attendees:
- Vladimir Putin (Russia) - First trilateral meeting with Xi and Kim
- Kim Jong Un (North Korea) - First multilateral diplomatic event attendance
- Masoud Pezeshkian (Iran) - Representing the "resistance axis"
- Shehbaz Sharif (Pakistan) - Military chief also attended
- Min Aung Hlaing (Myanmar) - US-sanctioned junta leader
- Robert Fico (Slovakia) - One of only two European leaders
- Aleksandar Vučić (Serbia) - Pro-Russia stance
- Eight Southeast Asian leaders reflecting China's regional influence
Notable Western Absences
Conspicuously absent were leaders from major Western capitals, despite China's crucial Allied partnership in World War II's Pacific Theater. No leaders from the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, or other major NATO allies attended. Compared to the 2015 parade, which featured broader international participation, the 2025 event showed decreased leader-level presence from the Caribbean, Middle East, Oceania, and South America.
Japan reportedly urged European and Asian leaders not to attend, citing excessive anti-Japanese sentiment, prompting a formal Chinese diplomatic protest. South Korea's president declined China's invitation, marking a shift from 2015 when President Park Geun-hye attended.
Trump Administration Response
U.S. President Donald Trump responded directly to the parade gathering, posting on Truth Social: "Please give my warmest regards to Vladimir Putin, and Kim Jong Un, as you conspire against The United States of America". However, Trump also stated he was "not concerned at all" about the alliance challenging the U.S.
Pentagon and Defense Community Reactions
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth previously expressed concerns that Chinese hypersonic missiles "could sink all U.S. aircraft carriers within the first minutes of a potential conflict," highlighting the Pentagon's assessment of Beijing's anti-ship capabilities. The U.S. has allocated $6.9 billion for fiscal year 2025 to hypersonic missile research in response to Chinese and Russian developments.
Retired Admiral James Stavridis warned that while Putin may benefit from the alliance, "you are ultimately going to end up as a very junior partner in that relationship" with China. He characterized the display as Xi's effort to establish an alternative world order challenging U.S. and Western allies.
Strategic Implications for Global Balance
Shifting Alliance Structures: The parade demonstrated "shifting patterns in Chinese influence, with Western leaders largely absent" while showcasing stronger ties with authoritarian allies. The gathering represents the most visible manifestation of what some analysts term a "new Cold War" dynamic.
Maritime Domain Impact: Defense specialists note that the new hypersonic anti-ship missiles "compress engagement timelines from minutes to seconds while following unpredictable flight paths that challenge existing interceptor technologies." For naval forces within 1,000 nautical miles of Chinese territory—encompassing virtually all critical Pacific shipping lanes—the strategic environment has fundamentally changed.
Nuclear Balance: The DF-61 ICBM debut occurs as China expands its nuclear arsenal from an estimated 600 warheads with continued production capabilities, representing one of the most rapid expansions among nuclear-armed states. Pentagon assessments indicate Beijing seeks "a larger and more diverse nuclear force, including both lower-yield precision strike weapons and higher-yield multi-warhead missiles".
Economic Warfare Dimension: Taiwan's analysis suggests China spent over $5 billion (1.5% of its defense budget) on the parade alone, raising questions about priorities amid domestic economic challenges. The display serves both military deterrence and economic signaling purposes.
Technology Competition: Investment analysts note that "the traditional assumption that American technological superiority provides a permanent strategic advantage is becoming questionable. Markets are beginning to price in a more competitive strategic environment".
The parade represents more than military pageantry—it marks the emergence of a coherent challenge to the Western-led international order, with potential ramifications extending from the Taiwan Strait to global trade routes and alliance structures.
Sources
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- YJ-19, China’s first hypersonic cruise missile, is based on breathtaking science | South China Morning Post
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