U.S. Deploys 'Mach 17' Missile to Guam Base... New Command Created to Counter China

[Anchor]

It has been confirmed that the United States conducted deployment drills last month in Guam for its new Dark Eagle hypersonic missile, which puts parts of China within its range. The drills were led by a newly established U.S. Army command specifically tasked with countering China.

This report is from Defense Specialist Reporter Kim Taehun.

[Reporter]

On June 6, U.S. territory of Guam.

A missile covered by camouflage netting is visible behind a large transporter-erector-launcher.

Once the camouflage netting is removed and the missile is erected, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command Chief Samuel Paparo walks past it with his entourage.

This is the U.S. Army's long-range hypersonic missile, the Dark Eagle.

It is a new weapon with a range of 2,700 km to 3,500 km and a top speed of 20,000 km/h.

It is known to have been developed to target China.

It is difficult to intercept because it flies at speeds up to 17 times the speed of sound while also performing erratic maneuvers.

The U.S. military deployed this Dark Eagle to the multinational Valiant Shield exercise held in Guam last month, even conducting a launch drill.

Following its first public test launch in Australia last year, this time the drills were conducted in Guam—where China's eastern coast falls within range—in an apparent show of force against Beijing.

U.S. military media outlets noted that it remains unclear whether the Dark Eagle withdrew from Guam after the drills, raising the possibility of a permanent deployment to Guam.

The unit that led the Dark Eagle's training in Guam is the U.S. Army's newly created 1st Multi-Domain Task Force (Pacific Multi-Domain Command) last month.

Formed to prepare for potential clashes with China, the unit is armed with advanced weaponry including short-range intercept systems alongside the Dark Eagle.

[Bernard Harrington / Commander, U.S. Indo-Pacific Multi-Domain Task Force: Our unit will deploy unmanned surface vessels, long-range strike drones, and launchers capable of penetrating anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) zones.]

As the nerve war between the U.S. and China intensifies over issues such as Taiwan and the South China Sea, the U.S. military's readiness posture against China is also appearing to grow increasingly robust.

(Video editing: Jeong Seong-hun, Design: Kang Yun-jung)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.