Asia-Pacific experiences a missile frenzy (Opinion)
A missile is launched during a drill of the Railway Mobile Missile Regiment in North Korea. (KCNA)
There can be no doubt that missiles are proliferating at an alarming rate in Asia-Pacific. Indeed, the past couple of weeks alone have seen almost a daily flurry of missile launches or developments.
China, North Korea, South Korea, Taiwan, India, Pakistan, Japan, Australia. All are already, or will be soon, bristling with even more missiles of various shapes and sizes.
Brooding ominously in the background are China’s missiles. Over the past couple of months, satellite imagery analysts have discovered no fewer than three massive intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) silo fields deep in China’s interior.
Our news & analysis is now part of Defence Insight®
A Basic-level or higher Defence Insight subscription is now required to view this content.
More from Defence Notes
-
How AI is reshaping defence procurement through sustainment
Artificial intelligence is not just changing how defence equipment is maintained but how defence programmes are won, creating new opportunities for industry by influencing acquisition decisions and shaping competition.
-
NATO signs agreements worth billions of dollars on missiles, air defence and aircraft
Announcements on aircraft deals and agreements for trans-alliance cooperation to boost the production and purchase of weapons and equipment were key takeaways from this week’s NATO summit.
-
Ukraine experience forces rethink of counter-UAS doctrine
A panel session at Eurosatory 2026 brought together industry, academia and the French armed forces to assess how Ukraine’s battlefield reality is reshaping counter-UAS (CUAS) technology, air defence doctrine and Western procurement priorities.
-
Nuclear costs crowd out key defence priorities in UK investment plan, say SDR authors
The UK government’s Defence Investment Plan has been criticised by the authors of the Strategic Defence Review (SDR) 2025 which formed the basis of the plan. The SDR’s external reviewers told the country’s defence committee how the plan misses the mark.
-
Australia’s new defence industry strategy targets development, procurement and exports
Australian is investing in weapons and missile manufacture and shipbuilding as part of a long-term plan that involves restructuring procurement and export systems under its 2026 Defence Industry Development Strategy.