Toward Decline
China unveils high-power microwave weapon arsenal with up to 100 gigawatts of power
South China Morning Post Major outlet·2026-07-09PLAP5: Strategic DecouplingP6: Defence SurgeP7: Alliance ArchitectureP8: Northern Arc
Why it matters
China's demonstrated HPM arsenal at 100 GW scale directly threatens the satellite communications and intelligence infrastructure on which Australia and AUKUS partners depend for Indo-Pacific operations and strategic warning. This capability advance materially narrows Australia's technological edge in contested scenarios and underscores dependence on allied space resilience in Pillar 7 (Alliance) and Pillar 8 (Northern Arc) operations.
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