China’s ‘Successful’ Missile Test of July 23, 2014

choi

Bill Gertz, Stratcom: China Continuing to Weaponize Space with Latest Anti-Satellite Missile Shot. Washington Free Beacon, Aug 13, 2014.
freebeacon.com/national-security/stratcom-china-continuing-to-weaponize-space-with-latest-anti-satellite-missile-shot/

Quote:

(a) Adm Cecil D Haney, comments of Strategic Command chief (formally: the commander of the US Strategic Command) Wednesday (Aug 13) to reporters--after remarks to a Stratcom-sponsored conference on nuclear deterrence (at Omaha)--“followed the July 23 test of what U.S. officials said was China’s low-earth orbit DN-1 anti-satellite interceptor. It was the latest ASAT test by China that both Pentagon and State Department spokesmen described as a ‘non-destructive’ prototype.

“China, for its part, did not identify the July 23 test as an ASAT weapon. Instead, China said it involved a missile defense system. The Chinese Defense Ministry dubbed the test ‘a land-based anti-missile technology experiment.’

“Frank Rose, deputy assistant secretary of state for verification and compliance, said during the conference that the recent Chinese ASAT missile was ‘designed to destroy satellites in low-earth orbit.’

“‘Despite China’s claims that this was not an ASAT test, let me assure you the United States has high confidence in its assessment that the event was indeed an ASAT test,’ he said.

(b) “China’s development of space warfare systems also includes ground-based lasers and small maneuvering satellites. Both also have been tested in recent years.

(c) “Army Lt Col Valerie Henderson, a Pentagon spokeswoman, said in an email that ‘the United States has concluded that the People’s Republic of China conducted a non-destructive test of a missile designed to destroy satellites on 23 July.’  She declined to elaborate.

(d) “Mark Stokes, a former Pentagon specialist on the Chinese military, said the most recent ASAT test was designed to “demonstrate potential intent to deny freedom of space flight” over Chinese territory. * * * said China’s ASAT missiles are similar to missile defense interceptors.

“The designation ‘DN’ for the ASAT weapons may refer to ‘dongneng 动能,’ the Chinese term for kinetic. ‘There have been authoritative references to a dongneng (kinetic) ASAT program, which began in 2006,’ he said.


My comment:
(a) I have not dealt with this topic, waiting for response from a reliable source. Here it is.

(b)
(i) 中国在境内成功进行陆基反导技术试验.
www.mod.gov.cn/wqzb/2014-07/23/content_4524241.htm
(ii) 国防部：中国在境内成功进行陆基反导技术试验. 新华网, July 24, 2014
news.xinhuanet.com/photo/2014-07/24/c_126790821.htm