On Saturday, July 6, 2026, China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) conducted its first confirmed submarine-based missile test since 1982. The test involved launching a dummy warhead that traveled approximately 8,000 kilometers (5,000 miles) across the Pacific.

While the missile type has not been officially confirmed, a report from the Global Times—a newspaper owned by the party mouthpiece People’s Daily—suggested the missile was a JL-3. This intercontinental-range ballistic missile can be fired from nuclear-powered submarines and is expected to enhance China’s nuclear deterrent by improving its second-strike capability.

The JL-3 missile was first publicly displayed at a large military parade in Beijing in September 2025. This recent test represents the first known firing from a nuclear-powered submarine by China, signaling a notable development in its strategic military assets.

Sources