Indo-Pacific policy analysis

Covers the April 2026 launches — five surface-to-surface tactical ballistic missiles toward the East Sea, billed by Pyongyang as a warhead-performance check of the upgraded Hwasongpho-11 Ra, timed as US attention shifted to the Middle East.

“Pyongyang described the launches as a warhead-performance evaluation of its upgraded Hwasongpho-11 Ra tactical ballistic missile system.”

Argues the PLA's late-2025/early-2026 exercises crossed a qualitative threshold: from announced drills to undeclared, near-continuous patrols that blur the line between exercise and standing presence, normalising operations inside Taiwan's claimed zones.

“Beijing is shifting from discrete, named drills toward a permanent operational tempo around Taiwan — pressure designed to look routine.”