by Lawrence Kadish

In an era when artificial intelligence is guiding drones in deadly attacks in Ukraine, it would be understandable to focus exclusively on what that now means on the battlefield.

This would be a grave mistake.

Few in the West have noticed that China just test-launched an intercontinental ballistic missile from a nuclear-powered submarine, using the waters of the South Pacific as their testing site.

The Chinese were quick to announce that the missile carried a dummy warhead, but the implications were clear for everyone who appreciates the enormous strategic threat implied from this underwater weapons test. The timing was also instructive: naval authorities reported that the Chinese had not conducted a similar test in decades.

Press reports say the test came on the same day China and Russia were holding joint naval exercises off the Chinese coast. A coincidence? Not likely.

The message from China is clear. They have the means to sail nuclear-powered submarines anywhere in the Pacific, armed with nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missiles that are easily capable of reaching American cities or any nation around the Pacific Rim. The threat greatly complicates the US Navy's role of finding and destroying those submarines in the event of conflict, for there is nothing more threatening than a deeply submerged submarine capable of wiping out entire cities just 20 minutes after the launch of its missiles.

President Donald Trump fully appreciates the threat. In response to the Chinese test, the US State Department issued the following:

"At a time when the United States is working harder than ever to prevent nuclear proliferation, China is doing the opposite. Beijing's rapid and opaque nuclear weapons buildup is of great concern to the region and the world. We continue to urge China to engage in meaningful arms control discussions and commit to a regularized notification arrangement for all intercontinental-range ballistic missile and space launches consistent with commitments made by all other P5 members [permanent members of the UN Security Council]."

And so there would be doubt as to the president's resolve, the State Department reminded, "The United States remains steadfast in our defense commitments to our allies and partners."

We need to pay attention to the revolution taking place in conventional warfare now that drones and AI are creating havoc in Ukraine and the Middle East, but we also need to appreciate the strategic weapons China is deliberately testing as an ominous reminder of their intent to dominate the rest of this century – one way or another.