Shola Akinyele
China has unveiled a stunning lineup of 11 cutting-edge weapons during its 2025 Victory Day parade, showcase military analysts are calling a technological leap into the future of warfare.
At the core of the display were hypersonic missiles, including the DF-17 and anti-ship DF-26D, designed to travel at blistering speeds while evading modern missile defense systems. These “unstoppable” weapons are being hailed as game-changers in long-range strike capabilities.
For the first time, Beijing publicly revealed its complete nuclear triad—land, sea, and air-launched nuclear weapons. The debut of the Jinglei-1 air-launched missile demonstrated the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) advancement in flexible, high-tech deterrence systems.
In the air, futuristic drones and stealth fighters took center stage. The GJ-11 “Loyal Wingman” stealth UCAV was introduced as a next-gen combat drone designed to fly alongside crewed jets, while the stealthy J-35 fighter jet and carrier-ready J-15T confirmed China’s rapid push toward fifth-generation aviation.
On the seas, the YJ-21 “carrier killer” missile signaled Beijing’s ambitions to dominate maritime warfare, supported by the unveiling of the AJX002 underwater drone, a sleek, tube-shaped autonomous craft pointing to China’s future in robotic undersea combat.
Ground forces weren’t left out: the Type 99B and new Type 100 main battle tank brought advanced armor protection and digital warfare systems to the battlefield, further cementing the PLA’s modernization.
Perhaps the most futuristic of all were the space and laser defense systems. The HQ-29 anti-satellite missile and newly revealed ship-mounted laser weapons underscored China’s push into space dominance and energy-based warfare—technologies once thought of as science fiction.
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