Will China unveil new air and sea-based nuclear missiles at Victory Day military parade?
An organiser says the event will feature many new pieces of equipment, including all three elements of the nuclear triad
On Wednesday, Wu Zeke, deputy director of the parade leadership office, briefed reporters on preparations for the event commemorating the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.
“All the weapons and equipment in this parade have been selected from domestically made systems currently in active service, with a large proportion appearing for the first time,” he said.
Wu added that they would include “land, sea and air-based strategic heavy weapons” – the three components of the nuclear triad.
The idea behind having three distinct delivery systems is that even if one or two legs of the triad are destroyed in a first strike, the remaining force can still launch a retaliatory, or “second-strike”, response.
The parade, to be held in central Beijing on September 3, is expected to be the largest of its kind.