Unpacking China's FOBS test: hypersonics or not?

In the second issue of The Looking Glass, the authors Michael Clarke and Matthew Sussex look at the reported testing by People's Republic of China of a Gliding Fractional Orbital Bombardment System (G-FOBS) in August 2021. The purpose of FOBS is to place a large payload – usually a nuclear one – into a low Earth orbit, which can then be used to attack targets from space. China's test has even been referred to by some commentators as a 'Sputnik moment' for the United States. Is this a game-changing development for the US-China relationship and for strategic stability in the Indo-Pacific? What are its likely impacts on deterrence and arms races? This brief unpacks these questions, providing an assessment of the scope of the new Chinese capability and its importance for regional security.

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