Based on the mid-course missile defense interception technology test conducted by China on June 20th this year, it can be seen that China is at the forefront of mid-course missile defense interception technology, which means that China is more capable than ever before of defending against missile attacks from outside its borders. However, it should be pointed out that the six land-based mid-course missile defense interception technology tests conducted by China before and after are only the first step of a long journey. Subsequent experiments will need to be carried out in a more complex simulated environment with greater overall technological difficulties to steadily enhance China's missile defense capabilities, aiming to achieve the goal of decisive defense thousands of miles away. China first test-fired its mid-course missile defense system in 2010.

Land-based mid-course missile defense interception technology is an important part of China's national missile defense system. Globally, only four countries, namely China, the United States, Russia, and Japan, have conducted land-based mid-course missile defense interception technology tests. Among them, Japan relies on the United States in terms of technology, and only China, the United States, and Russia have complete land-based mid-course missile defense interception technology.

Missile defense interception mainly consists of three stages: the boost phase, which is the first stage of missile launch; the mid-course phase, where the missile enters the long-distance flight stage after launch; and the terminal phase, where the missile has basically locked onto the target and initiates the final attack. The primary air defense systems currently in use worldwide, such as the US Patriot, the Russian S-300/400, the Chinese Red Flag, and the French Aster, are all terminal air defense systems.

Terminal air defense technology is relatively mature because when an incoming missile enters the terminal phase of flight, it is already very close to the target area. At this point, air defense radar can easily detect and lock onto incoming missiles, thereby initiating interception. However, due to the extremely high speed of incoming missiles during the terminal phase of flight, with ballistic missile speeds exceeding Mach 20, the time left for the air defense interception system is often only a few seconds or a dozen seconds, making interception extremely difficult. Even conventional short-range missiles are similarly difficult to intercept with terminal air defense systems.

The best way to intercept a missile is during the boost phase, immediately after it is launched. However, for large countries like China, the United States, and Russia, boost-phase interception is almost impossible. This means that the detection range of air defense radar needs to cover the territory of other countries. Boost-phase interception also has a major problem because the missile has just been launched, so you cannot determine who the missile's target is. Therefore, mid-course missile defense interception technology is an effective extension of terminal missile defense interception. In mid-course missile defense interception technology, it calculates the flight trajectory of incoming missiles in advance, predicts their attack targets, and then locks and intercepts them.

So,

how can mid-course missile defense interception be achieved? To intercept a missile, you first need to detect it. Terminal air defense interception only requires ordinary air defense surveillance radar to detect and lock onto incoming missiles. However, mid-course air defense interception requires a very large and complex ballistic missile early warning system.