China ‘increasing number of thermonuclear warheads’

[xhw1986]

The PLA has been increasing the number of both nuclear and conventional warheads in its strategic missile command, according to an official military document.

The document, official teaching materials for the strategic missile command as well as the air, ground and naval branches of the People’s Liberation Army, corroborates suspicions among military experts that China has been beefing up its nuclear arsenal amid a global trend toward a reduction of nuclear arms.

China’s strategic missile command, officially known as the Second Artillery Command, serves as the nation’s core nuclear deterrent and underscores Beijing’s status as one of the world’s major nuclear powers.

To enhance China’s nuclear deterrent, the strategic missile command will “appropriately increase the number of nuclear warheads”, a military source quoted the document as saying.

The document also says the strategic missile command will strengthen its conventional missile force by increasing the number of conventional warheads and developing more powerful non-nuclear warheads.

While nuclear-armed intercontinental ballistic missiles form the backbone of military deterrence among the world’s major nuclear powers, military strategists consider missiles armed with non-nuclear warheads as more “usable” weapons.

The PLA document also says the military will increase its capability to attack enemy satellites and destroy enemy missiles.

The document suggests that the PLA is independently bolstering its strategic missile force, while saying China will not be part of an arms race with other nuclear powers.

China set up its strategic missile command in the 1960s with the aim of giving it retaliatory power against the United States and other major nuclear powers.

According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, China has about 300 deployed nuclear warheads. In contrast, Russia has about 4,500 and the United States about 2,100.

Despite the advance of nuclear-weapons technology, nuclear arms have been off-limits in the world’s military conflicts since the second world war.

The inhibition against the use of nuclear weapons with their massive destructive power has increased the importance of advanced non-nuclear arms in warfare.

China 'increasing number of missile warheads' | South China Morning Post

 

[Hyperion]

China is catching up. Trend has nothing to do with it. It's their god given right to arm themselves with the best deterrent. I hate when west tries to be naive.

Baghal me churri, aur munh' mein ram ram!

 

[Beast]

This is old news. China has long increase the number of nuke warhead. I bet China has at least 1000 nuke warhead, enough to destroy the world.

 

[cirr]

5000 warheads，with some space-based， should do it。

 

[JSCh]

China has about 300 deployed nuclear warheads.

Keyword highlighted in red.

 

[Talha Mateen]

Pakistan should work combine on Uranium and PLutonium bombs

 

[Pakistanisage]

There is no reason why other Nuclear States should not have the same number of nukes as US and Russia.

 

[xunzi]

Our nuke is called "buddy bomb" because it is reserve for very serious crime against us. We have no 1st use. Let us remind our friends of that.

 

[bdslph]

China will increase the number but nothing to be scared China is in control no one has to be scared

 

[C130]

There is no reason why other Nuclear States should not have the same number of nukes as US and Russia.

shakes my head.
yeah China,Pakistan, and India deserve to have tens of thousands of nukes.
you all haven't learned from our mistake and want to undo everything USA/Russia did to get rid of thousands of nukes and the systems that carry them, for what??
to thump your chest and brag about how many you got??
a few dozens or hundred is plenty for a deterrent

 

[Chinese-Dragon]

It makes sense.

Even one single Type 096 nuclear ballistic missile submarine can carry 24 JL-3 SLBM's.

And each JL-3 can carry up to 10 MIRV warheads. So that is up to 240 warheads for one SSBN alone.

And we'll want a fleet of around 10 SSBN's (currently around 4 are active).

Peace depends on a reliable deterrent. And nukes are the best deterrent.

Once our HGV technology is inducted, that's the point when our nuclear deterrent will be at an acceptable level.

shakes my head.
yeah China,Pakistan, and India deserve to have tens of thousands of nukes.
you all haven't learned from our mistake and want to undo everything USA/Russia did to get rid of thousands of nukes and the systems that carry them, for what??
to thump your chest and brag about how many you got??
a few dozens or hundred is plenty for a deterrent

For mutual deterrence.

India and Pakistan don't have missiles with enough range to hit the American mainland, that is not mutual deterrence.

MAD = Mutually assured destruction. How many nukes does it take to complete the "assured destruction" of countries as large as China/USA/Russia?

 

[Europa]

More Chinese missiles will be revealed soon: report

After the Chinese government acknowledged the existence of the DF-41 nuclear solid-fueled road-mobile intercontinental ballistic missile, the Nanning Evening News said that more advanced missiles will be revealed

The information regarding the DF-41 was accidentally released in a report from the official website of the Shaanxi Environmental Monitoring Center. The paper said the names of various other types of new missiles including the DF-26, the HQ-1 and the HQ-26 were also mentioned in the report. This suggests that more missile systems will soon be revealed to the public, according to the paper.

Richard Fisher, an expert in Chinese military development from the International Assessment and Strategy Center, said China has used Aug. 1, the 87th anniversary of the founding of the People's Liberation Army, as an opportunity to demonstrate its military capability to the world. By doing this, Fisher said the Chinese government will inspire in its citizenry a sense of national pride. If the report is accurate, Fisher believes that PLA is going to commission the DF-41.

The DF-41 is estimated to have an operational range of between 12,000km and 15,000km, which also makes it the missile with the longest range in the world. The top speed of a DF-41 is estimated to be Mach 25. US observers believe the weapon will be capable of carrying multiple warheads and claim it could be used to carry out a surprise attack that could knock out an enemy's arsenal and limit its counterstrike capabilities.