Washington: United States military officials on Thursday warned of China’s expanding missile capabilities and its development of a “kill web” and indicated that Taiwan and the region were well within the missiles’ ranges.
According to Focus Taiwan, senior U.S. Air Force and Space Force officials informed Congress that the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has deployed over 900 short-range ballistic missiles capable of striking Taiwan, along with 400 ground-launched cruise missiles that can reach targets across the entire first island chain. This island chain includes Japan, Taiwan, parts of the Philippines, and Indonesia, serving as a defense line against China.
“The PLA’s rocket force is advancing its long-term modernization plans to enhance its strategic deterrence capabilities,” stated Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink and Chief of Space Operations General Chance Saltzman. They further reported that China possesses 1,300 medium-range ballistic missiles capable of reaching the Second Island Chain, 500 intermediate-range missiles that can strike parts of Alaska and Australia, and more than 400 intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons globally.
A significant concern highlighted by the officials is China’s deployment of a sophisticated “kill web”-a network of satellites and sensors enabling the PLA to detect, track, and strike military targets across various domains, including Taiwan. Saltzman expressed his concern at a Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee hearing, stating that the “kill web” allows China to track and target the joint force and other domains at extensive ranges.
During the hearing, when Senator Dick Durbin questioned if this was related to former President Donald Trump’s “Golden Dome” missile defense initiative, Saltzman clarified that “Golden Dome” was more focused on homeland defense, whereas the Space Force is tasked with protecting joint forces worldwide from space-based threats.
The term “kill web” is relatively new in military terminology. Air and Space Forces Magazine noted that the U.S. military only began officially using the term around 2018. Saltzman previously noted in March 2023 that China had launched more than 470 Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) satellites, which contribute to its advanced sensor-to-shooter kill web.