Use of China’s anti-ship missile against US could trigger nuclear war

Posted by aurelius77 on

If China were to launch its DF-21D anti-ship ballistic missile against a US carrier battle group in the Western Pacific, the US could respond with a full nuclear retaliation, according to Robert Farley, an assistant professor at the Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce of University of Kentucky in a recent article written for Washington-based National Interest magazine.

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Facing this potential threat against its aircraft carrier, the United States Navy is working very hard to develop ship-borne anti-ballistic missile technology. “The development of the DF-21D may have contributed to the USN’s decision to focus on air defense ships such as the Arleigh Burke Flight III capable of ballistic missile interception,” said Farley. At the same time, the US Navy is also exploring ways of destroying DF-21D launch sites with cruise and hypersonic missiles in the event of a war.

Farley states that a DF-21D anti-ballistic missile is capable of sinking a US aircraft carrier and killing the 6,000 American personnel on board the ship. Like any other medium-range ballistic missile, the DF-21D is capable of carrying a nuclear warhead, however China must count on very cool heads in Washington for the fifteen minutes between launch and impact, he said, as such a move could lead to a degree of escalation that China has not prepared for at all, he said.

Full article: Use of China’s anti-ship missile against US could trigger nuclear war (Want China Times)

2 responses to “Use of China’s anti-ship missile against US could trigger nuclear war”

  1. So if a US carrier is sunk,the US will attack China with nw. The US cannot expect any US carrier lurking in the vicinity with hostile intent to be tolerated by China.Well fortunately China has nw to respond.
    In the first place surely any US carrier with all its weapons is poised to attack China/ What would the US reaction be if a PLA destroyer is lurking off LA.

  2. If a US carrier is sent to attack China,the PLA have every right to sink it .If it risks nuclear war ,so be it. the Chinese have factored in this scenario and shd the US initiate a nuclear attack,the PLA can respond .
    Though the US with its immense nuclear inventory can wipe China off the world map,the US wont be much better off.You can bet your last dollar the PLA will be feverishly working to increase the destruction capability of its nuclear forces.
    The PLA will increase the number of their nm so that at leas t ahundred or more nw will streak towards the target in the conus.