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Last month, the surprise announcement by the U.S., U.K. and Australia of their trilateral AUKUS security partnership sent shockwaves across the Indo-Pacific and put China on notice that Washington was adding some bite to its “pivot to Asia.” This week, the shoe was on the other foot, as news broke that China reportedly tested a nuclear-capable hypersonic delivery system over the summer that took U.S. intelligence by surprise due to its advanced capabilities and technological sophistication.
The Financial Times reported that China had tested a fractional orbital bombardment system, or FOBS, in which a rocket in low-earth orbit launched a hypersonic glide vehicle that could potentially engage in evasive maneuvers to avoid missile defense systems. By circumventing the North Pole, where U.S. early warning systems are directed, and instead taking a southern trajectory, such a system would also target the U.S. mainland from what amounts to a blind spot.