Pentagon Wargames LEAKED — U.S. Navy’s Nightmare

China’s arsenal of hypersonic missiles now poses an unprecedented threat to America’s naval supremacy, with Pentagon wargames revealing that these “carrier-killer” weapons could devastate our fleet in ways traditional defenses struggle to counter.

Story Snapshot

China fields DF-17 and DF-26 hypersonic missiles capable of striking carriers at 2,000-plus miles with Mach 10 speeds
Leaked Pentagon wargames show China sinking Ford-class carriers through coordinated missile, cyber, and anti-satellite attacks
Intercontinental anti-ship ballistic missiles now threaten U.S. West Coast, forcing carriers beyond effective operational ranges
U.S. Navy enhances Aegis defenses and SM-3 interceptors but simulations reveal significant vulnerability gaps

China’s Hypersonic Arsenal Targets American Naval Power

China’s People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force now deploys the world’s largest hypersonic missile arsenal specifically designed to neutralize U.S. supercarriers. The DF-17 hypersonic glide vehicle travels at Mach 10 across 2,000 miles, while the DF-26 “Guam Killer” reaches targets 4,000 kilometers away. These weapons evolved from the earlier DF-21D carrier-killer program, which began in the 2010s with deck-penetrating warheads. China’s newest addition, the DF-27, extends intercontinental range to 8,000 kilometers, putting America’s West Coast within striking distance. This represents a fundamental shift in Pacific power dynamics that our adversaries have pursued for over a decade.

Pentagon Wargames Expose Critical Vulnerabilities

A leaked Pentagon “Overmatch Brief” from late 2025 reveals disturbing simulation results showing China sinking Ford-class carrier strike groups through multi-domain attacks. The wargames demonstrated coordinated strikes combining hypersonic missiles, cyber warfare disrupting communications networks, and anti-satellite weapons blinding U.S. reconnaissance capabilities. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated China could potentially sink all U.S. carriers within 20 minutes, though defense experts dispute this timeline as exaggerated. Chinese analyst Chen Guangwen describes this “mega-systemic” approach where Type 055 destroyers and H-6K bombers launch YJ-21 missiles while the Rocket Force coordinates long-range strikes. These simulations indicate our layered defenses face serious challenges against synchronized attacks.

Multi-Domain Attack Strategy Undermines Traditional Defenses

China’s integration of naval assets with missile forces creates synergistic threats that exploit gaps in American defensive systems. Mock carrier targets in Chinese desert testing facilities demonstrate their commitment to perfecting these strike capabilities. The People’s Liberation Army Navy now uses its own carriers like the Shandong to coordinate targeting data for Rocket Force strikes, creating cooperative engagement scenarios our defenses weren’t originally designed to counter. Digital Combat Simulator wargames show hypersonic missiles present extremely low probability of intercept due to their speed and maneuverability. This represents asymmetric warfare targeting America’s most expensive and symbolically important naval assets, forcing our carriers to operate 1,000-2,000 kilometers farther from contested areas like Taiwan.

Strategic Implications for American Naval Dominance

These developments force fundamental questions about carrier-centric naval strategy that has defined American Pacific power projection since World War II. Short-term impacts include pushing our 11 Nimitz and Ford-class carriers beyond effective operational ranges for Taiwan contingencies, undermining deterrence commitments to allies. Long-term consequences may accelerate Pentagon investment in distributed warfare concepts, hypersonic weapons development, and directed energy defenses like laser systems. The U.S. Navy enhances Aegis combat systems, deploys additional SM-3 interceptors, and integrates drone surveillance networks, but defense spending must surge to maintain credible Pacific presence. This arms race dynamic benefits neither nation, yet China’s anti-access/area-denial strategy specifically targets the core of American naval strength, challenging constitutional obligations to defend allies and maintain freedom of navigation.

The Trump administration inherits a deteriorating strategic position where Chinese missile technology advances faster than American defensive countermeasures deploy. Experts acknowledge the threat’s legitimacy while noting uncertainty around real-world effectiveness—China has never actually struck a moving carrier at range. American ingenuity and technological superiority historically overcome adversary advantages, but complacency risks obsolescence of platforms costing $13 billion each. The challenge demands accelerated defense innovation, increased naval construction funding, and potentially revolutionary changes to how America projects power across the Pacific. Our adversaries built these systems specifically to neutralize American strength; responding effectively determines whether we maintain freedom of the seas or cede strategic influence to authoritarian powers.