China is building a vast military complex in a remote desert of eastern Xinjiang near its nuclear missile silos, including more than 80 launchpads for mobile missile launchers and air-defense batteries, satellite images reviewed in May 2026 show [1].
The new infrastructure features two octagon-shaped installations constructed over the last six years about 140 km and 230 km southwest of the Hami nuclear silo fields. These octagons house personnel and large military vehicles, armored bunkers, weapons storage, airfields, and railheads connecting directly to the missile silos [2].
The region’s silos remain the core of China’s nuclear forces despite the country also possessing nuclear-capable submarines and aircraft. China’s nuclear missiles based there can reach any city in the United States [1, 2]. The country's nuclear doctrine maintains a "no first use" policy aimed at minimal but credible deterrence that guarantees retaliation after a first strike [2].
Military exercises involving large vehicles were conducted around the northern octagon in April and August 2026. These drills underscore the operational use of the new facilities [2].
U.S. officials and arms control analysts note China is expanding and upgrading its nuclear capabilities faster than any other nation. A Pentagon report estimates China could field as many as 1,000 nuclear warheads by 2030, even though production recently slowed [2].
The ongoing construction and military use of the launchpad complex represent concrete steps taken by China to enhance its nuclear deterrence capabilities. The sites will remain active hubs for China’s missile forces in the northwest.
