A recent report from the United States Air Force (USAF) indicated that the People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force (PLARF) of China possesses over 900 short-range ballistic missiles ready to strike Taiwan and other targets in the Pacific region. The report was presented last week during a U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee Defense Subcommittee hearing on the 2026 budget.
In line with the United States’ new strategic focus on the Indo-Pacific region, the heads of the U.S. Air Force and Space Force submitted a new report highlighting, among other points, that China’s Rocket Force has developed at least 900 ballistic missiles as part of its long-term modernization plan. This has raised concerns among U.S. officials, not only because of the reach and sophistication of the arsenal but also due to the overall capabilities the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is amassing across the region.
The report also noted that the Asian giant possesses missiles specifically targeting Taiwan, but has also consolidated a diversified arsenal capable of projecting force well beyond the Strait. According to the details provided, China has approximately 400 ground-launched cruise missiles capable of reaching any point within the First Island Chain, as well as about 1,300 medium-range ballistic missiles capable of hitting targets within the Second Island Chain. In addition, there are 500 intermediate-range missiles with the capacity to reach parts of Alaska and Australia, and a stockpile of over 400 intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) designed to carry nuclear warheads with global reach.
It is useful to recall that the First Island Chain in the western Pacific refers to a series of archipelagos located east of mainland Asia, stretching from the southern tip of Japan to the South China Sea waters that separate Malaysia and Vietnam. Further out into the Pacific lies what is known as the Second Island Chain, which also begins in Japan and extends to New Guinea, passing through the strategically important U.S. base in Guam. Both “chains” are central to the U.S. maritime containment strategy. For China, gaining control over or breaking through these lines represents a key objective in its anti-access/area-denial (A2/AD) strategy aimed at countering geopolitical rivals.
The report also mentioned the operational deployment of the DF-17, a medium-range ballistic missile equipped with a hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV) capable of reaching speeds up to Mach 10. This system is expected to replace older short-range models and is considered ideal for anti-ship missions and precision strikes on foreign bases, due to its ability to evade conventional missile defense systems. With an estimated range of 1,800 to 2,500 kilometers, the DF-17 enhances China’s capabilities in sensitive areas of the Indo-Pacific, particularly within the containment belt where U.S. land and naval assets are deployed.
Finally, U.S. officials expressed concern over the “Kill Web” that the PLA has been developing. General B. Chance Saltzman, Chief of Space Operations, warned during the hearing that this integrated network allows the PLA to track and strike at long range across all joint force domains. Saltzman added that China has already deployed a powerful intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) network in orbit, significantly boosting its response capabilities and lethality in space and beyond.
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