June 20, 2005 :: News
China on Thursday, June 16, test-fired a new long-range ballistic missile from a nuclear submarine in the Pacific Ocean according to a report by The Daily Yomiuri. The missile traveled from a submarine located near the city of Qingdao which is located in the Shandong Peninsula, some several thousand miles toward a western Chinese desert. Japanese government sources were quoted as saying that the missile tested was the Ju Lang 2 (JL-2), a sea-launched modified version of the Dong Feng-31 ICBM with a range of roughly 8,000 kilometers. China tested another sea launched ballistic missile in 2001.
The Washington Times quotes “a U.S. official familiar with reports of the test” as calling China’s test “a significant milestone in their effort to develop strategic weapons.” The Air Force’s National Air Intelligence Center is also quoted as reporting that the JL-2 missile “will, for the first time, allow Chinese [missile submarines] to target portions of the United States from operating areas located near the Chinese coast.” (Article)
» June 22, 2005: The Washington Times: Bill Gertz on JL-2 launch
» More stories on: China, Testing - Foreign
» Missile details: CSS-NX-5/CSS-NX-4 (JL-2)
