China missile threat to forward U.S. bases

U.S. bases in the Asia-Pacific region could be vulnerable to a pre-emptive Chinese missile strike, and satellite images suggest Beijing is practising for attacks against a range of targets at a test site in western China

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CHINESE MISSILE RANGES (maximum)

Short-range ballistic missile (SRBM)

Medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM) / land attack cruise missile (LACM)

Guam 

CHINA

Beijing

NORTH KOREA

SOUTH KOREA

TAIWAN

Sasebo

Osan

Iwakuni

JAPAN

Kadena (Okinawa)

Yokota

Misawa

Tokyo

Yokosuka

500km 300 miles

Major U.S. bases

Naval

Air

800km 1,500+km

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TEST SITE (Possible missile targets)

Mock airfield

Parked aircraft

Naval base

Ship target same size as U.S. destroyer

Buildings

Mockup is near-mirror image of inner harbour at Yokosuka

Runway cratering

Fuel tanks

Bunkers

Vehicles hit by cluster bombs could simulate attack on U.S. Patriot batteries Ð main defence against Chinese missiles

2km 1.25 miles


CHINAÕS ARSENAL*

Conventionally-armed missiles, accurate to within 5m, could hit targets in minutes

SRBM 1,200

MRBM 108-274

LACM 450-1,250


*Number of intermediate-range (max. 5,000km) missiles unknown

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Sources: RAND Corporation, War on the Rocks Pictures: Google, Microsoft © GRAPHIC NEWS