China's air-borne nuclear strike system revealed in military video

The Chinese military has, for the first time, unveiled the operation of its air-borne nuclear strike system. In a video clip jointly published on Tuesday by the Central Military Commission's Political Work Department, the Cyberspace Administration of China, and the China Media Group, an H-6N strategic bomber flies alongside two J-20 stealth fighter jets, carrying what appears to be a JL-1 nuclear-capable air-launched ballistic missile under its belly. This is undoubtedly the first time that the People's Liberation Army has publicly showcased its air-borne nuclear strike capability, the last piece of its nuclear triad.

The military has yet to release further details about the operation, including the exact time of the activity and the name of the exercise that involved the aircraft and the missile.

Footage featuring the three aircraft is part of a simulated combat scenario, in which a joint command headquarters carries out a coordinated strike against an enemy fleet after receiving orders.

Other cutting-edge PLA weapon systems showcased in the same scene include the DF-21D road-mobile anti-ship ballistic missile system, YJ-20 ship-borne hypersonic anti-ship missile, and YJ-12 air-launched supersonic anti-ship missile.

The JL-1 air-launched long-range ballistic missile was declassified and displayed to the public at a massive parade in Beijing last September, along with other strategic nuclear missile systems like the DF-31BJ, DF-61, and DF-5C intercontinental ballistic missiles.

The "JL" in the air-launched missile's name stands for Jinglei in Chinese, or Shocking Thunderclap.

That parade marked the first time the Chinese military broke the cover on the PLA Air Force's nuclear strike platform. In the past, there was a conspicuous loophole in China's nuclear arsenal, as the PLA Air Force did not own a usable air-based projection asset for nuclear warheads.