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Articles on Ballistic missiles

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Military vehicles carry an earlier version of China’s hypersonic missile during a 2019 parade. AP Photo/Ng Han Guan

China’s hypersonic missiles threaten US power in the Pacific – an aerospace engineer explains how the weapons work and the unique threats they pose

China’s newest hypersonic missile, the DF-27, could sideline US aircraft carrier groups in the Pacific, while missiles in the works in China, Russia and the US threaten global security.
This Russian short-range cruise missile, the Iskander-K, can carry nuclear warheads for several hundred miles. Russian Defense Ministry Press Service photo via AP

What are tactical nuclear weapons? An international security expert explains and assesses what they mean for the war in Ukraine

Tactical nuclear weapons were designed to be used on the battlefield rather than for strategic defense, but that doesn’t mean there’s a plausible case for using them.
This intercontinental ballistic missile was launched as part of Russia’s test of its strategic forces in 2020. Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP

Would Putin use nuclear weapons? An arms control expert explains what has and hasn’t changed since the invasion of Ukraine

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Vladimir Putin’s nuclear threats have the world on edge, but so far, long-standing arms control measures have helped keep the situation from getting out of control.
Perhaps hoping for an election boost, India’s Prime Minister Modi announces that Indian scientists shot down a live satellite at a low-earth orbit. Jaipal Singh / AAP

India destroys its own satellite with a test missile, still says space is for peace

On 27 March, India announced it had successfully conducted an anti-satellite missile test, Mission Shakti. India is now the fourth country in the world displaying this capability.
Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland and U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson speak following a meeting on the security and stability on the Korean Peninsula in Vancouver. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

China the winner after pointless Canada-U.S. meeting on North Korea

China is succeeding in a high-stakes poker game on the Korean Peninsula. Did Canada and the U.S. just play into Chinese hands?
People watch news on missile launch in Pyongyang, North Korea. AP Photo/Jon Chol Jin

Facing the threat from North Korea: 5 essential reads

Refresh your knowledge on the origins of North Korea’s nuclear threat and the options world leaders have to deal with it.
A submarine missile-launching capacity brings the threat closer to the shores of the target country. Flickr/Marion Doss

North Korea’s submarine missile firing raises the nuclear stakes

North Korea does not yet have the capacity to launch a nuclear missile from a submarine. Its recent test, however, suggests it is making progress to a game-changing second-strike capability.

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