Sea drones, laser weapons and more were unveiled in China’s most advanced display of military weaponry yet. Military analysts saw Xi Jinping using the event to signal a diverse group, from the US and its allies as well as India
China marked the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II with a military parade in Beijing that went beyond pageantry. Soldiers marched with precision, helicopters formed giant “80s” in the sky, and an 80-gun salute echoed through Tiananmen Square. But the real story lay in the arsenal on display.
The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) unveiled a sweeping range of new weapons: hypersonic missiles, submarine drones, stealth drones, anti-swarm systems with lasers and the latest variant of its intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). According to Chinese state media, it was the first time its “triad of strategic nuclear forces” — land, sea and air — were displayed together, a deliberate signal of Beijing’s intent to be seen as a fully modern military power.
The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) unveiled a sweeping range of new weapons: hypersonic missiles, submarine drones, stealth drones, anti-swarm systems with lasers and the latest variant of its intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). According to Chinese state media, it was the first time its “triad of strategic nuclear forces” — land, sea and air — were displayed together, a deliberate signal of Beijing’s intent to be seen as a fully modern military power.