In this article we use words like suspected, apparent, and probable to remind the reader of that fact. The Chinese government has still not officially confirmed or denied that the facilities under construction are silos intended for missiles and there are many uncertainties and unknowns about the nature and role of the facilities. The images provide a vivid and rare public look into what is otherwise a top-secret and highly sensitive construction program.
After the discovery during the summer of what appears to be at least three vast missile silo fields under construction near Yumen, Hami, and Ordos in north-central China, new commercial satellite images show significant progress at the three sites as well as at the People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force (PLARF)’s training site near Jilantai. What’s underneath the shelters over China’s suspected silo construction sites? Image © 2021 Maxar Technologies