China’s JL-3 submarine-launched nuclear missile seen for the first time during the 2025 Victory Day military parade in Beijing. The display marks a major milestone in the operational readiness of China’s sea-based nuclear deterrent, confirming its ability to strike the U.S. mainland from protected waters.

JL-3 SLBM: Chinese Navy Reveals JL-3 Nuclear Missile From Submarine, Demonstrating Capacity to Hit U.S. Cities Across Pacific

On September 3, 2025, in Beijing’s Victory Day military parade, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) rolled out a weapon that has long been the subject of rumor, intelligence estimates, and quiet debate among defense analysts: the JL-3 submarine-launched...