Secret new U. S. intelligence about China proves the Chinese are accelerating the test of new medium and long range ballistic missiles, Aviation Week & Space Technology will report in its April 9 issue.

China is also demonstrating a wide range of new tactics with those missiles, Aviation Week will report.

The new Chinese missile development could affect Taiwan and U. S. strategy toward China, especially if it were ever to attack Taiwan, the magazine reports.

The Chinese tests indicate that China is gaining a much more powerful ability to militarily deter the U. S. or attack U.S. soil or assets such as aircraft carriers at sea, the magazine reports.

Much of this information comes from several U. S. Air Force Defense Support Program (DSP) missile warning spacecraft watching China from geostationary orbit, 22,300 mi. above the Earth.

The 2.5 ton satellites are built by Northrop Grumman. They are 33 ft. long, and carry powerful infrared telescopes that watch the missile test activity. They are not "spy satellites" but rather missile warning spacecraft that also provide intelligence on missile tests around the world.

The April 9 issue of Aviation Week will carry an exclusive report about how the DSP constellation of missile warning satellites monitors not only China, but also Iran, North Korea and other countries.

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