Test preparations for the Dong Neng-3 anti-satellite missile were detected at a military facility in central China, according to Pentagon officials familiar with reports of the impending test.
Intelligence agencies were alerted to the impending test by China’s announcement of air closure zones covering the expected flight path of the DN-3.
The flight test could come as early as Thursday, the officials said.
No other details of the missile test were available. A Pentagon spokesman and a State Department official both said, “We do not comment on intelligence matters.”
Asia watcher Henri Kenhmann reported on his website Eastpendulum this week that missile tests were expected from the People’s Liberation Army satellite launch facility known as Jiuquan, located in Inner Mongolia, and a second launch complex at Korla, located in Xinjiang, western China.
The expected tests were based on Chinese government announcements of air closure areas for Dec. 7 and Dec. 8 near those sites.
Kenhmann said the flight tests could involve a missile defense interceptor test.
China’s ballistic missile defense and anti-satellite missile programs are closely intertwined. (end of excerpt)
Click here for the full text, on the China.mil website.
(EDITOR’S NOTE: The fact that Chinese authorities decided to re-post the above article on their own military website can be considered as unofficial confirmation.)
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