China's PLA Conducts Rare SLBM Test in the South Pacific
The Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) conducted a rare test of a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM), heavily suspected to be a JL-3 or JL-2, from a Type 09IV nuclear submarine. The missile landed in the South Pacific between Tuvalu and Kiribati. Analysts note this highlights China's expanding nuclear second-strike capabilities.
Date: July 10, 2026
Location: South Pacific, Kiribati/Tuvalu
Conflict: Geopolitical
Category: missile
Severity: CRITICAL
Source: Institute for the Study of War