One thing to note, the details you are going to get on this system are pretty much in the article,
and that is pretty much it. Questions on the how/what/where/when most likely cannot and will not be answered. Sorry for killing the fun but other than this article I have seen nothing unclassified about this system. Enough said.
You didn't kill all the fun. Wanton ignorant speculation is half the fun!
Let's begin:
This would be a terribly risky first-strike weapon, as it could be perceived to be a nuclear attack. Even if it uses submunitions to disable the capabilities of the CSG, once the president receives word that the attack has "only" disabled the ship and killed a thousand sailors it will probably be of little comfort. So many wars have been related to our ships being attacked...
Its non-use, i.e. its existance used as an area denial weapon, depends partially on its viability. That means we will have to see them test it before it becomes a strategic game-changer. If they test it and we don't know about it, then it does not serve as an area denial weapon and that means they intend to use it in the event of escalated tensions over Taiwan. Until either eventuality, this issue in the common world only has a political impact and is fuel for the MDA and associated programs, which have recently been cut.
That said, it's damn scary, but I'm frankly more worried about the Chinese flooding the waters with subs.
