MIRVs blanket a target for maximum effect wikipedia commons While adding to its stockpile of almost 200 nuclear warheads, China is on the verge of arming itself with a new highly effective, multi-stage nuclear weapon.

The Washington Times devoted some attention to the new Pentagon report on China's military strategy and found the CCP is using this third missile to compliment its medium and long-range nukes.

This new armament is an intercontinental ballistic missile equipped with a multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicle (MIRV).

Put simply, this means the Chinese are creating a "first-strike" warhead that was hotly contested for its destabilizing effects during the Cold War and could increase their nuclear stockpile exponentially.

The Soviets wanted to ban MIRVs completely as early as the late 1960s.

MIRVs are mobile, can be put inside submarines and carry multiple warheads, capable of striking several targets, or just one target far more effectively than traditional missiles.

The Russians, who already admitted to helping China's fighter jet program, have highly advanced MIRV technology in their RSM-56 Bulava submarine missile which just went into serial production.

China's new warhead will compliment its new Jin-Class ballistic missile submarine the Pentagon says "appears ready" to enter the CCP fleet.

In addition to sending MIRVs out with its submarines China is also storing its warheads in underground facilities connected by 3,000 miles of "obscure tunnel network[s]".

Richard Fisher, of the International Assessment and Strategy Center told the Times, "Taken together, a well-protected, growing ICBM force that will soon have active defenses should be of great concern to the United States,”