China expands remote desert nuclear launch and bunker network

Satellite imagery analyzed by Reuters and The Defense Post shows China constructing an extensive network of launch pads, bunkers, communications facilities and support infrastructure in the desert near its Hami missile silo field in Xinjiang. More than 80 concrete pads are spread across the area, including two large octagon‑shaped complexes linked by roads, fortified storage, airfields and rail connections. Analysts say the facilities are intended to improve the survivability of China’s land‑based nuclear forces and bolster a second‑strike capability, allowing mobile launchers and air‑defence systems to operate even after a potential attack.

The expansion is part of Beijing’s broader military modernization. U.S. assessments project China could possess around 1,000 nuclear warheads by 2030. Chinese authorities have not commented on the new sites, and the Pentagon declined to discuss intelligence details.