Episode Details

In this explosive episode of the Silk and Steel Podcast, host Carl Zha is joined by returning expert TP Huang to break down the stunning array of new weapons systems China recently unveiled. From hypersonic missiles that can be launched from submarines to J-20-sized stealth fighter drones, the parade showcased technologies that are years, if not decades, ahead of what other nations are developing.

TP Huang, a seasoned analyst with over 20 years of experience studying the Chinese military, provides an unparalleled deep dive into what these systems mean for the global balance of power. We move beyond the headlines to understand the real-world implications of these advancements.

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction

01:30 - TP Huang's Background & Expertise

04:45 - The Missile Overview: A New Family of Hypersonic Threats

06:50 - YJ-19: The Submarine-Launched Game-Changer

10:30 - Naval Hypersonics: How Destroyers & Carriers Get Strike Power

15:10 - Defining "Hypersonic" vs. Ballistic Missiles

20:45 - The "Guam Killer" DF-26 & DF-27: Pushing the US Back

29:15 - US Strategy Impact: Is the Pentagon Recalculating?

32:00 - The Drone Revolution: China's "Loyal Wingman" & Stealth Fighters

38:00 - Large Combat Drones: Supersonic, Tailless, and Beyond J-20

45:10 - How Drones Change Aerial Combat Doctrine

50:25 - Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs): The Submarine Drone Fleet

55:40 - Ground Forces: New Tanks & Lessons from Ukraine

01:00:30 - Directed Energy: Laser & Microwave Weapons in Service

01:05:15 - The Engineering Edge: Why China's Tech is Advancing So Fast

01:10:45 - Electronic Warfare & AWACS: The "Invisible" Force Multipliers

01:15:20 - Final Thoughts & Where to Find TP Huang

Key Systems Discussed:

Missiles: YJ-21, YJ-19 (sub-launched), CJ-1000, DF-17, DF-26, DF-27

Aircraft: J-20, J-35, J-16D (EW), KJ-600 (AWACS)

Drones: GJ-11, Large stealth fighter drones, "Loyal Wingman" drones, Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs)

Ground/Naval: Type 100 Tank, Laser Defense Systems, Microwave Weapons

Follow TP Huang:

On X (Twitter): @TPHuang

On Substack: TPHuang's Newsletter

#China #MilitaryTechnology #HypersonicMissile #Drone #UAV #PLA #Defense #Geopolitics #USChina

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