5 January 2015

China’s Nuclear Missile Forces Now Have 10 Operational Road Mobile DF-31 ICBMs

January 3, 2015
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Intelligence reports from the Pentagon indicated that the Second Artillery Corps, China’s strategic missile force, had already put 10 DF-31 intercontiental ballistic missiles into service, according to Moscow’s Russian Military Analysis on Jan. 1.

It will only take 30 minutes for the People’s Liberation Army to launch a DF-31 missiles into the air. The range of a DF-31 is estimated to be 7,200 kilometers, which is shorter than the DF-5A developed in 1981. When the DF-31 is launched from Central China, it can not even reach the central US. However, the range of a DF-31A, the modified version, has the capability to hit most major targets in the United States since its range is extended to 11,200 kilometers.

China is developing the DF-31 and DF-41 to replace the DF-5A missiles. Even though the DF-5A has a longer range than the DF-31, it can be easily destroyed since the missile is stored in a horizontal position in tunnels under high mountains. In contrast, the DF-31 and DF-41 are both road-mobiles. With the assistance of the Beidou Navigation System, the accuracy of the DF-31 and DF-41 has been enhanced. Like the DF-5A, the DF-41 is also designed to carry multiple independently targetable reentry vehicle (MIRVs).

The report estimates China to have 20 DF-5A missiles. In addition, it operated a total number of 30 DF-31 and DF-31A missiles. After the DF-41 begins its service, all DF-5A missiles will be retired. Since it is still very difficult for China to transfer its DF-31 and DF-41 on road-mobile systems easily because of their weight, a senior official in China said that some of DF-41s may still be launched from tunnels under mountains.

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