JL-1 Missile: China Expands Nuclear Reach With Capability To Launch Mid-Air

Last Updated:September 05, 2025, 14:16 IST

Unlike traditional gravity bombs, China's JL-1 missile can be fired directly from the air, allowing an attack without requiring the bomber to enter hostile airspace

The JL-1 missile enhances China's nuclear triad.

China has once again demonstrated its growing military strength to the world stage. During the ‘Victory Day’ parade in Beijing, held on September 3, the Chinese military unveiled the JL-1 air-launched ballistic missile (ALBM), a nuclear-capable weapon that analysts say significantly enhances the country’s strategic arsenal.

The JL-1 missile, designed to be deployed from the H-6N strategic bomber, can reportedly strike targets at a distance of 3,000 to 4,000 kilometres. Unlike traditional gravity bombs, the JL-1 can be fired directly from the air, allowing an attack without requiring the bomber to enter hostile airspace. The H-6N bomber carrying this missile was first seen during the 2019 parade, but this marks the first official showcasing of the weapon system.

Military experts highlight the added advantage of aerial refueling capability in the H-6N bomber, which extends its range to about 5,000 kilometres. This enables China to project power across vast distances and conduct strikes far beyond its immediate neighborhood.

A New Layer In China’s Nuclear Triad

With the induction of JL-1, China has strengthened its nuclear triad, the ability to launch nuclear strikes from land, sea, and air. Until now, the United States and Russia were the only powers with such a comprehensive strike capability. The JL-1 has now placed China in that league, heightening global concerns about the shifting balance of power.

The missile’s ability to launch from the air provides China with a critical strategic edge. It allows China to keep its bombers at a safe distance while still threatening deep enemy territory. Analysts say this capability makes a nuclear strike more difficult to detect and intercept, raising alarm among rival nations.

Another key feature is the strengthening of China’s “second strike capability". In strategic terms, this means that even if China’s land-based or sea-based nuclear weapons were destroyed in a first strike, the JL-1-equipped bombers would still be able to retaliate.

China’s Expanding Missile Arsenal

Over the past decade, China has consistently invested in modernising its missile technology. Alongside submarine-launched ballistic missiles such as the JL-3 and intercontinental ballistic missiles like the DF-61, the JL-1 adds another lethal element to Beijing’s expanding nuclear arsenal.

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