Chinese Missiles News & Discussions

[Devil Soul]

China may be developing new long-range air-to-air missile
REUTERS — PUBLISHED less than a minute ago
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China may be testing a new, long-range air-to-air missile that could take out early warning aircraft and aerial refuelling aircraft, a state-run newspaper said on Thursday, after pictures of the new missile surfaced online.

President Xi Jinping is overseeing an ambitious military modernisation program that includes stealth jets and aircraft carriers. The country has also tested anti-satellite missiles.

The official China Daily said the People's Liberation Army had recently posted pictures online of a J-11B fighter carrying a large, unidentified missile during drills last year.

Air force researcher Fu Qianshao told the newspaper he believed the missile was designed to hit distant high-value targets, such as early warning aircraft, normally outside actual combat zones.

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That represents an improved capability over existing Chinese missiles, which have ranges of less than 100 km (62 miles).

"The best solution to this problem I can figure out is to send a super-manoeuvrable fighter jet with very long-range missiles to destroy those high-value targets, which are the 'eyes' of enemy jets," Fu said.

"So the successful development of this potential new missile would be a major breakthrough."

The missile may even have an actual range of 400 km, exceeding those used by Western air forces, and dive down on targets from the stratosphere, he added.

The air force has yet to formally comment on the new missile.

Chinese state media periodically report on new weapons before there is official confirmation of their existence.

The military modernisation comes as China has rattled nerves around the region with increasingly assertive moves to bolster its sovereignty claims in the South China Sea and over Taiwan, which it regards as a breakaway province.

China's first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, recently sailed around the self-ruled island in what China called a routine drill, but which prompted Taiwan to scramble fighter jets and navy ships.

 

[Kurlang]

China may be developing new long-range air-to-air missile

China may be testing a new, long-range air-to-air missile that could take out early warning aircraft and aerial refuelling aircraft, a state-run newspaper said on Thursday, after pictures of the new missile surfaced online.

President Xi Jinping is overseeing an ambitious military modernisation program that includes stealth jets and aircraft carriers. The country has also tested anti-satellite missiles.

The official China Daily said the People's Liberation Army had recently posted pictures online of a J-11B fighter carrying a large, unidentified missile during drills last year.

Air force researcher Fu Qianshao told the newspaper he believed the missile was designed to hit distant high-value targets, such as early warning aircraft, normally outside actual combat zones.

That represents an improved capability over existing Chinese missiles, which have ranges of less than 100 km (62 miles).

"The best solution to this problem I can figure out is to send a super-manoeuvrable fighter jet with very long-range missiles to destroy those high-value targets, which are the 'eyes' of enemy jets," Fu said.

"So the successful development of this potential new missile would be a major breakthrough."

The missile may even have an actual range of 400 km, exceeding those used by Western air forces, and dive down on targets from the stratosphere, he added.

The air force has yet to formally comment on the new missile.

Chinese state media periodically report on new weapons before there is official confirmation of their existence.

The military modernisation comes as China has rattled nerves around the region with increasingly assertive moves to bolster its sovereignty claims in the South China Sea and over Taiwan, which it regards as a breakaway province.

China's first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, recently sailed around the self-ruled island in what China called a routine drill, but which prompted Taiwan to scramble fighter jets and navy ships.

http://www.dawn.com/news/1310850/china-may-be-developing-new-long-range-air-to-air-missile

 

[Deino]

SD-10A SAM/天龙-50

Interesting to see that the Sky-Dragon SAM has the same front section as the PL-12 ... would be interesting if an AAM-version with a wider diameter would not also be an option or if this was a competitor to the new PL-XX?

 

[samsara]

US Think Tank CSIS: China has the most active ballistic missile development program in the world (2017-01-27)

China features its missiles most prominently in its developing anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) doctrines, which use a combination of ballistic and cruise missiles launched from air, land and sea to target opposing military assets in the Asia-Pacific theater. China is also developing a number of advanced capabilities such as maneuverable anti-ship ballistic missiles, MIRVs, and hypersonic glide vehicles. The combination of these trends degrade the survivability of foundational elements of the US power projection like the aircraft carrier and forward air bases. China also has a relatively small but developing contingent of nuclear intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of striking the Continental US (CONUS), as well as a growing fleet of nuclear ballistic missile submarines.

MISSILE TYPES

Source: US Think Tank - Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)

 

[grey boy 2]

Royal Saudi Navy Frigate Badly Damaged in Houthi Attack; Iran Claims Chinese-made C-802 Missile Hit Warship
By Arthur Dominic Villasanta | Jan 30, 2017 07:34 PM EST

If true, this will be the second successful missile attack on a ship belonging to the Saudi-coalition. On Oct. 2, 2016, a C-802 Chinese-made AShM supplied by Iran heavily damaged the United Arab Emirates vessel, HSV Swift, as the ship was transiting the Bab al-Mandeb Strait off Yemen.

The C-802 is the export version of China's YJ-8 AShM and carries a 190 kg warhead to a distance of 120 km. The YJ-8 arms China's Xian H-6 strategic heavy bombers.

http://www.chinatopix.com/articles/...e-badly-damaged-houthi-attack-iran-claims.htm

 

[beijingwalker]

US Wary as China Tests Missile With 10 Warheads
Wednesday February 01, 2017
In what defense officials say represents a dramatic shift in Beijing's nuclear strategy at a time of growing tensions with the United States, China tested a new version of a long-range missile with 10 warheads, The Washington Free Beacon reported on Tuesday.

The test of the DF-5C missile is significant, because it demonstrates that China is boosting the number of warheads in its arsenal and could alter the strategic balance, especially as it strives for a second-strike capability.

Two officials familiar with reports of the missile test said it was carried out last month and was monitored closely by U.S. intelligence agencies.

The test comes as China is stepping up preparedness for a possible military conflict with the U.S., theSouth China Morning Post reported.

After President Donald Trump's inauguration, the Chinese army said that the chances of war have become "more real" amid an increasingly complex security situation in Asia Pacific.

International Assessment and Strategy Center analyst Rick Fisher told the Free Beacon that the missile test appears to be sending a signal to the new Trump administration due to his vocal opposition to their military buildup on disputed South China Sea islands and on American policy toward Taiwan, which Beijing regards as a renegade province and not an independent country.

Fisher added that this test is only the latest in attempts by China to demonstrate strength toward the U.S., as previous signs "have included the public revelation in late December via Chinese websites of the new DF-41 ICBM in Heilongjiang province, plus articles in China's state-controlled media touting the need for China to increase its nuclear forces to intimidate Washington."

http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/China-Tests-Missile/2017/01/31/id/771269/

 

[cirr]

DF-5C？Gertz is a bad lad.

China Tests Missile With 10 Warheads

Multi-warhead weapon tested amid growing tensions with the United States



BY: Bill Gertz Follow @BillGertz

January 31, 2017 5:00 am

China flight tested a new variant of a long-range missile with 10 warheads in what defense officials say represents a dramatic shift in Beijing's strategic nuclear posture.

The flight test of the DF-5C missile was carried out earlier this month using 10 multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles, or MIRVs. The test of the inert warheads was monitored closely by U.S. intelligence agencies, said two officials familiar with reports of the missile test.

The missile was fired from the Taiyuan Space Launch Center in central China and flew to an impact range in the western Chinese desert.

No other details about the test could be learned. Pentagon spokesman Cmdr. Gary Ross suggested in a statement the test was monitored.

"The [Defense Department] routinely monitors Chinese military developments and accounts for PLA capabilities in our defense plans," Ross told the Washington Free Beacon.

DF-5 launch

The test of a missile with 10 warheads is significant because it indicates the secretive Chinese military is increasing the number of warheads in its arsenal.

Estimates of China's nuclear arsenal for decades put the number of strategic warheads at the relatively low level of around 250 warheads.

U.S. intelligence agencies in February reportedthat China had begun adding warheads to older DF-5 missiles, in a move that has raised concerns for strategic war planners.

Uploading Chinese missiles from single or triple warhead configurations to up to 10 warheads means the number of warheads stockpiled is orders of magnitude larger than the 250 estimate.

Currently, U.S. nuclear forces—land-based and sea-based nuclear missiles and bombers—have been configured to deter Russia's growing nuclear forces and the smaller Chinese nuclear force.

Under the 2010 U.S.-Russian arms treaty, the United States is slated to reduce its nuclear arsenal to 1,550 deployed warheads.

A boost in the Chinese nuclear arsenal to 800 or 1,000 warheads likely would prompt the Pentagon to increase the U.S. nuclear warhead arsenal by taking weapons out of storage.

The new commander of the U.S. Strategic Command, Air Force Gen. John Hyten, stated during a Senate confirmation hearing in September that he is concerned about China's growing nuclear arsenal.

"I am fully aware that China continues to modernize its nuclear missile force and is striving for a secure second-strike capability," Hyten told the Senate Armed Services Committee.

"Although it continues to profess a ‘no first use' doctrine, China is re-engineering its long-range ballistic missiles to carry multiple nuclear warheads and continues to develop and test hyper-glide vehicle technologies," Hyten added.

"These developments—coupled with a lack of transparency on nuclear issues such as force disposition and size—may impact regional and strategic stability and are cause for continued vigilance and concern."

The 10-warhead missile test comes amid heightened tensions with China. State-run media in recent weeks has carried reports calling for China to expand its nuclear forces. A broadcast report showed that new long-range mobile missiles could strike the entire United States.

The Chinese state television channel CCTV-4 last week broadcast nuclear threats, including graphics showing new DF-41 missiles deployed in northern China and graphics showing the missiles' strike path into the United States. The Jan. 25 broadcast included a graphic of a 10-warhead MIRV bus for the DF-41.

The Chinese Communist Party propaganda newspaper(so Gertz, known for its anti-China stance, is not writing propaganda bullshit?) Global Times, known for its anti-U.S. stance, issued stark calls for China to build up its nuclear arsenal for use against the United States. On Jan. 24, the newspaper said China's strategic forces "must be so strong that no country would dare launch a military showdown."

"China must procure a level of strategic military strength that will force the U.S. to respect it," the newspaper said.

The same state-run organ criticized President Donald Trump in an article on Dec. 8 and said China should use its wealth "to build more strategic nuclear arms and accelerate the deployment of the DF-41 intercontinental ballistic missile."

"We need to get better prepared militarily regarding the Taiwan question to ensure that those who advocate Taiwan's independence will be punished, and take precautions in case of U.S. provocations in the South China Sea," the newspaper said.

China conducted a flight test of the DF-41 in April.

Trump in December called for boosting America's aging nuclear arsenal.

"The United States must greatly strengthen and expand its nuclear capability until such time as the world comes to its senses regarding nukes," he stated in a tweet.

Military analysts said the large number of warheads is unusual for the Chinese nuclear program.

Rick Fisher, an analyst with the International Assessment and Strategy Center, said the multi-warhead missile test appears to be aimed at sending a signal to the new Trump administration.

Trump has tangled with China in opposing its military buildup on disputed South China Sea islands and on U.S. policy toward Taiwan, which Beijing regards as a renegade province and not an independent country.

White House spokesman Sean Spicer said the United States is prepared to block China's access to reclaimed islands he said are located in international waters and not China's sovereign maritime domain.

"This test of the 10-warhead DF-5C is China's latest nuclear intimidation exercise aimed at the new Trump administration," Fisher said.

"China's nuclear intimidation signals have included the public revelation in late December via Chinese websites of the new DF-41 ICBM in Heilongjiang province, plus articles in China's state-controlled media touting the need for China to increase its nuclear forces to intimidate Washington," Fisher added.

China's known force of around 20 D-5 missiles were deployed with large single warheads in the past, while some were upgraded with three-warhead top stages.

In September 2015 China revealed for the first time during a military parade that it had deployed a new DF-5B multi-warhead missile. Unofficial published reports suggested the DF-5B carries between six and eight warheads.

"The revelation that China has tested a new version of the DF-5 carrying ten warheads constitutes a very strong indication that China has produced a smaller warhead to equip its MIRV-capable ICBMs," Fisher said.

Some analysts speculate that the recent test of the DF-5C used the older missile as a test platform for a new warhead delivery bus that will be used on the new DF-41.

French China watcher Henri Kenhmann reported on his website East Pendulum that a Chinese missile test was to be carried out Jan. 15, based on air closure notices issued by the Chinese government for areas around Taiyuan and a missile impact range in western Xinjiang Province.

Analysis of the impact range suggests the test would include multiple test warheads.

"The point of impact is located south of the Taklamakan desert, in the former ballistic range of Minfeng," Kenhmann said, noting the Chinese had imposed an unusually large air exclusion zone of 125 miles around the impact zone.

"It should be noted that this zone of ballistic impact is abnormally large," he stated, a sign the large area would be used for multiple dummy warheads.

‘The size of this impact zone could indicate testing several MIRVs," he said.

A similar Chinese test of the DF-41 in April involved two MIRVs that were fired to a much smaller impact area of 60 miles by 37 miles.

The Pentagon's latest annual report on the Chinese military said Beijing continues to upgrade its nuclear forces by enhancing silo-based missiles and adding new road-mobile missiles.

"China’s ICBM arsenal to date consists of approximately 75 to 100 ICBMs, including the silo-based CSS-4 Mod 2 (DF-5) and multiple independently-targetable reentry vehicle (MIRV)-equipped Mod 3 (DF-5B); the solid-fueled, road-mobile CSS-10 Mod 1 and 2 (DF-31 and DF-31A); and the shorter range CSS-3 (DF-4)," the report said.

The DF-5 is a two-stage, liquid-fueled missile with a range of around 8,000 miles.

http://freebeacon.com/national-security/china-tests-missile-10-warheads/#

 

[Beast]

Those liquid fuel DF-5C once fuel. Can be position ready to launch in standby mode for quite sometimes.

 

[onebyone]

Big Banking Scam Exposed
Home | Newsfront
Tags: China | Tests | Missile

US Wary as China Tests Missile With 10 Warheads

A Chinese-made CH-5 (Caihong-5 or Rainbow 5) reconnaissance and combat drone and its compatible missiles are on display during the 11th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition, also known as Airshow China 2016, in Zhuhai city, south China's Guangdong province, Nov. 2, 2016.(Imaginechina via AP Images)


In what defense officials say represents a dramatic shift in Beijing's nuclear strategy at a time of growing tensions with the United States, China tested a new version of a long-range missile with 10 warheads, The Washington Free Beacon reported on Tuesday.

The test of the DF-5C missile is significant, because it demonstrates that China is boosting the number of warheads in its arsenal and could alter the strategic balance, especially as it strives for a second-strike capability.

Two officials familiar with reports of the missile test said it was carried out last month and was monitored closely by U.S. intelligence agencies.

The test comes as China is stepping up preparedness for a possible military conflict with the U.S., the South China Morning Post reported.

After President Donald Trump's inauguration, the Chinese army said that the chances of war have become "more real" amid an increasingly complex security situation in Asia Pacific.

ALERT: These 2 'Triggers' Cause Your Memory Loss


Learn More
International Assessment and Strategy Center analyst Rick Fisher told the Free Beacon that the missile test appears to be sending a signal to the new Trump administration due to his vocal opposition to their military buildup on disputed South China Sea islands and on American policy toward Taiwan, which Beijing regards as a renegade province and not an independent country.

Fisher added that this test is only the latest in attempts by China to demonstrate strength toward the U.S., as previous signs "have included the public revelation in late December via Chinese websites of the new DF-41 ICBM in Heilongjiang province, plus articles in China's state-controlled media touting the need for China to increase its nuclear forces to intimidate Washington."

http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/China-Tests-Missile/2017/01/31/id/771269/

 

[帅的一匹]

DF5 has 15000KM range.

 

[samsara]

Say Hello to China's ICBMs

Pepe Escobar, Sputnik International, 2017-01-27

China's alleged deployment of a DF-41 strategic ballistic missile brigade to Heilongjiang province, bordering Russia, triggered a fascinating spectacle; how to spin – or not to spin - what necessarily represents a milestone in Russia-China's strategic partnership.

The Global Times stressed Hong Kong and Taiwan media interpreted pictures of the DF-41 were taken in Heilongjiang, admitting there was no official confirmation from Beijing while hoping the "strategic edge" would soon be confirmed.

Russian media was way more explicit, with military analyst Konstantin Sivkov stressing that the DF-41, as positioned, would not be able to target Russia's Far East and most of Eastern Siberia; and Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov noting that "if the reports prove correct, the military build-up in China is not perceived as a threat to our country."

China's Reported Missile Deployment Near Russian Borders No Threat to Moscow - Kremlin

Of course not. The Russia-China strategic partnership, which, as I argued, needs to be broken according to Trump's shadow foreign policy adviser Henry Kissinger's strategy, is a very serious business. If there were indeed a deployment, Russian intelligence would have been fully aware. Peskov's response also pre-empted the notion this might represent a Chinese response to potential US-Russia negotiations over nuclear disarmament.

Still, all of the above did not prevent the Chinese Foreign Ministry to issue an attempt at a non-denial denial, describing the alleged deployment as "speculation and crude guesses".

Go West, young missile

The timing of the alleged deployment, with Team Trump doubling down on anti-Chinese rhetoric on their war of positioning geared to extract further trade concessions, may indeed betray a very graphic Beijing message.

Why Developing Nuclear Potential is an 'Absolute Necessity' for China

The DF-41, a three-stage solid-propellant missile, with a range of up to 15,000 km and capable of delivering up to 10 MIRVed nuclear warheads, is one of the most sophisticated – and secret — ICBMS on earth. Virtually everything about it is classified. Positioning in Heilongjiang, near the city of Daqing, close to the Russian border, implies a huge "dead zone" around it. So call it a mix of nuclear deterrence and a "message" to the ultimate target — the West Coast of the United States.

This propels the matter to an even more serious sphere than a possible upcoming crisis in the South China Sea, where the Pentagon, under the pretext of "freedom of navigation", is obsessed in maintaining "access", Trump or no Trump.

If there ever were an attempted American blockade in the South China Sea, it would be easy to take out the Chinese-developed islands/islets/rocks/shoals. But far from easy to grapple with the Chinese response; submarines with "carrier killer" missiles able to take out anything the US Navy may come up with.

Islands/islets/rocks/shoals in the South China Sea have no inherent strategic significance for the US. What their upgrading – the Beltway would say "militarization" — does represent is China's progressive attempt to eventually deny access to the US Navy.

Chinese Editorial Speculates About 'Real War' With US After Trump Inauguration

Enter the "messenger" DF-41. The technical reasons why Russia does not see the DF-41 as a threat are simple – and may unveil the rationale behind the alleged deployment.

Beijing has been able to deploy its predecessor, the DF-31 – which is able to target Russia — for more than a decade now. And a simple analysis of distance and trajectory reveals that Heilongjiang province is the optimum location for the DF-41 to target the whole of the continental US.

It's virtually guaranteed that an official Chinese confirmation of the DF-41 deployment will accelerate a nuclear arms race, involving all players from Russia, China and the US to India and Pakistan and even North Korea.

This is China's 'Riskiest and Most Complex' Active Defense Program

But more than this, it will be yet another lethal blow to the Beltway's master strategy – first deployed by Dr. Zbig "Grand Chessboard" Brzezinski – of trying to prevent the emergence of any peer competitor, or worse, an alliance of peer competitors such as Russia-China.

Just at the start of the Trump era, the new reality could not be more striking. Not long ago, it was "say hello to Russia-China". Now it's "say hello to China's ICBMs."

The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official position of Sputnik.

 

[grey boy 2]

 

[ahojunk]

PLA drill features advanced missile
(China Daily) 08:14, February 06, 2017

The People's Liberation Army has released a video of a recent exercise employing the advanced DF-16 medium-range ballistic missile, a weapon seen as filling a gap in the nation's arsenal.

Several launch vehicles carrying the ballistic missiles were seen in the footage that the PLA published on its video website, released to show the training of Rocket Force missile brigade soldiers around the Spring Festival holiday.

The participating units handled a number of scenarios, including chemical/biological contamination, countering satellite reconnaissance and electronic jamming. The crews practiced multiple maneuvers, such as rapid loading, redeployment and launch sequence, though the video showed no missile actually being launched.

Two types of DF-16 that appeared in the exercise are the bullet-shaped missile that is considered the original DF-16 and a new variant that features a maneuverable warhead and several extra fins.

The video represents the third time the DF-16 has been shown to the public. The missile made its debut at a military parade in Beijing in September 2015. In July, a television news program showed General Fan Changlong, a vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission, inspecting a DF-16 unit of the Southern Theater Command.

Though the PLA has never disclosed its ballistic missiles' specifications, experts said the DF-16 poses a challenge to foreign military installations along the first island chain, which is what the Chinese military calls the series of islands that stretch from Japan in the north to China's Taiwan and the Philippines to the south.

Xu Guangyu, a retired major general and now a strategy researcher, said that DF-16 has a strike range of more than 1,000 kilometers, filling the gap that previously existed with the absence of a medium-range ballistic missile in the PLA's arsenal. He said the missile also is able to reach Okinawa, a Japanese island about 400 km from China's Diaoyu Islands.

Shi Hong, executive editor of Shipborne Weapons, said the DF-16 was developed by China Aerospace Science and Industry Corp based on the DF-11 short-range ballistic missile and can carry a warhead of at least 500 kg. The missile has a strike accuracy as good as that of a cruise missile, Shi said. It is also able to maneuver in its final stage to penetrate enemy defensive firepower, he said.

Other PLA Rocket Force brigades also mobilized their DF-11, DF-15 and DF-21C ballistic missiles during training around Spring Festival, according to PLA media outlets.

In another development, Washington Free Beacon, a news website in the United States that specializes in military affairs, reported on Jan 31 that China conducted the first flight of the DF-5C intercontinental ballistic missile in January. The missile carries 10 multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicles. The DF-5C is the latest variant of the three-decade-old DF-5 family, the report said.

An unidentified officer from the Defense Ministry's Information Bureau reached by Shenzhen TV on Saturday would neither confirm nor deny the DF-5C test, but said such tests are not aimed at any foreign nation or specific target.

.

 

[Suff Shikan]

Chinese troops conduct drills with Advanced Ballistic Missile that can target India, Japan and the US
Monday, February 06, 2017
By: TNN


Highlights

• People's Liberation Army has released a video of recent exercise.
• The exercise was conducted by China's newly-formed Rocket Force.
• The exercise included advanced DF-16 medium-range ballistic missile.
• Two types of DF-16 appeared in the exercise.

China's newly-formed Rocket Force has held an exercise with advanced DF-16 medium-range ballistic missile with a range of over 1,000km that could threaten a number countries+ , including India, Japan and the US.

Significantly the People's Liberation Army (PLA), which is secretive about its weapons systems, has released a video of the recent exercise of its troops employing the advanced DF-16 medium-range ballistic missile.

China's Rocket Force is a special contingent to handle range of missiles in its military's arsenal.

Several launch vehicles carrying the ballistic missiles were seen in the footage released to show the training of Rocket Force missile brigade soldiers around the Spring Festival holiday.

The participating units handled a number of scenarios, including chemical/biological contamination, countering satellite reconnaissance and electronic jamming, state-run China Daily reported on Monday.

The crews practiced in multiple manoeuvres, such as rapid loading, redeployment and launch sequence, though the video showed no missile actually being launched.

Two types of DF-16 appeared in the exercise. The video represents the third time the DF-16 has been shown to the public.

The missile made its debut at a military parade in Beijing in September 2015.

In July, a television news programme showed General Fan Changlong, a vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission, inspecting a DF-16 unit of the Southern Theatre Command.

Though the PLA has never disclosed its ballistic missiles' specifications, experts said the DF-16 poses a challenge to foreign military installations along the first island chain, which is what the Chinese military calls the series of islands that stretch from Japan in the north to Taiwan and the Philippines to the south, the Daily report said.

Since the election of Donald Trump as US President+ , China has been striking aggressive postures against Taiwan after he spoke to Taiwanese President Tsai-Ing-wen.

While criticising his moves, China has sent its first aircraft carrier to Taiwan straits+ , as well as the first island chain in the Pacific and stepped up naval drills in the disputed South China Sea.

Washington Free Beacon, a news website in the United States that specialises in military affairs, reported on January 31 that China conducted the first flight of the DF-5C intercontinental ballistic missile in January.

China has also deployed its long range missile close to the Russian border which the Russian media said is aimed at US.

Reports in the official media said China is stepping up preparedness for a possible military conflict with the US+ as Trump signalled to follow more hardline policy to counter China's claims on the disputed South China Sea, official media reports here said.

A commentary in the official website of People's Liberation Army's (PLA) said on January 20 the day Trump assumed presidency that the chances of war have become "more real" amid a more complex security situation in Asia Pacific.

Xu Guangyu, a retired major general and now a strategy researcher, said that DF-16 has a strike range of more than 1,000 kms, filling the gap that previously existed with the absence of a medium-range ballistic missile in the PLA's arsenal.

He said the missile also is able to reach Okinawa, a Japanese island about 400km from China's Diaoyu Islands.

Shi Hong, executive editor of Shipborne Weapons, said the DF-16 has a strike accuracy as good as that of a cruise missile, Shi said.

It is also able to manoeuvre in its final stage to penetrate enemy defensive firepower, he said.

Other PLA Rocket Force brigades also mobilised their DF-11, DF-15 and DF-21C ballistic missiles during training around Spring Festival, according to PLA media outlets.

 

[cirr]

Cutting edge, world beating......technology

http://news.china.com/domestic/945/20170207/30237105_all.html

中国研发新型弹片材料 二次爆炸威力惊人

【观察者网综合】科学网2月7日报道，北京理工大学教授王海福，二十年痴心不改强军梦。在2016年度国家科学技术奖励大会上，有66项成果获得了国家技术发明奖项目，其中有一项名为“活性毁伤元技术”的项目获得了二等奖。文中提到，“活性毁伤元技术”是一种新型的战斗部材料技术。

观察者网军事评论员表示，从国外一些类似设想来看，这应该是一种大幅提升导弹武器战斗部的毁伤能力的新技术，理论上可让导弹毁伤飞机的半径增加一倍。不过目前世界上其他国家，包括最初提出类似构想的美国，都尚未取得实际研制成果。

美国海军曾在2002年提出过类似爆炸毁伤元的想法，号称能100%提高导弹毁伤半径，然而这个项目似乎没有了下文，似乎又是一个美国负责“想”，中国负责“干”的例证.

@Bussard Ramjet

但大幅度提高武器的威力是世界公认的重大瓶颈性难题。王海福主持的项目正是针对该技术难题。

“我们发明的新型爆炸材料毁伤元，既具有类似金属的力学强度，又含有与高能炸药相当的化学能，还具有与惰性材料类似的安全性，可以直接机械加工，只有高速命中目标后才会发生爆炸。”王海福说，以前的惰性金属毁伤元只能通过纯动能毁伤目标，而这种新型材料毁伤元具备动能穿孔和爆炸作用的双重毁伤能力，威力会成倍性提升。

而对于该研究成果的技术水平和地位，王海福坦言：“近二十年来，如果把我国武装装备研制和发展看作是一个从全面跟踪追赶，到部分并跑甚至有限领跑的过程，那么本项技术发明成果无疑属于并跑或引领。”