The missile fired off of the California coast this week appeared on the same day that a Chinese sub surprised US officials when it appeared suddenly in a US carrier group back in 2007.
Back in 2007 a Chinese submarine surprised American military chiefs when it popped up close to the massive U.S.S. Kitty Hawk.
By the time it surfaced the 160ft Song Class diesel-electric attack submarine is understood to have sailed within viable range for launching torpedoes or missiles at the carrier.
According to senior Nato officials the incident caused consternation in the U.S. Navy.
The Americans had no idea China’s fast-growing submarine fleet had reached such a level of sophistication, or that it posed such a threat.