Near-Space in China’s Military Strategy: Strategic Reconnaissance, Precision Strike, and Battlefield Advantage

Insikt Group examines the Chinese People's Liberation Armys (PLA) resurgent focus on utilizing near-space flight vehicles (NSFVs) for various military applications, as evidenced by the appearance of a high-altitude surveillance balloon over US Minuteman III missile silos in 2023. This marks a culmination of PLA and Chinese defense analyst research interest dating back to 2005, with a focus on deploying NSFVs like balloons, aerostats, and hypersonic platforms for military intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR), and more.

Chinese high-altitude surveillance balloon over …

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