Chinese Nuclear Missile Upgrade Near Dalian

[Broccoli]

By Hans M. Kristensen

One of the last Chinese Second Artillery brigades with the old liquid-fuel DF-3A intermediate-range nuclear ballistic missile appears to have been upgraded to the newer DF-21 road-mobile, dual-capable, medium-range ballistic missile.

A new satellite image posted on Google Earth from May 4, 2014, reveals major changes to what appears to be a launch unit site for the Dengshahe brigade northeast of Dalian by the Yellow Sea.

The upgrade apparently marks the latest phase in a long and slow conversion of the Dengshahe brigade from the DF-3A to the DF-21.

The range of the DF-21 is less than the range of the DF-3A (2,150 km versus 3,000 km), but the DF-21 system is much more capable than the DF-3A. Unlike the liquid-fuel, transportable DF-3A, the DF-21 is a solid-fuel missile carried on a road-mobile transporter erector launcher (TEL). As such, the DF-21 TEL can move around the landscape much more freely and can set up and fire its missile quicker than the DF-3A system. The DF-21 is also more accurate, which is reflected in a smaller warhead – 200-300 kilotons versus 3,300 kilotons for the DF-3A warhead.

From the launch pads north of Dalian, the DF-21 would able to target all U.S. military bases on the Japanese mainland as well as on Okinawa.

More here.
Chinese Nuclear Missile Upgrade Near Dalian - FAS Strategic Security Blog

 

[Pangu]

Ahh... DF-21, what took you so long to get here? My hair is as white as the snow of Manchuria...

 

[xunzi]

No one should worry if they have no intention of nuking us. We have no 1st-use nuclear strike.

 

[Broccoli]

Ahh... DF-21, what took you so long to get here? My hair is as white as the snow of Manchuria...

Nuclear weapons have never been high priority for PLA.

Take a look at slow pace of DF-5 deployment.

In December 1980, China deployed two DF-5 ICBMs in silos. Yes, all of two. The full deployment of three brigades totaling 18 DF-5s didn’t occur until the mid-1990s. (May 1995, according to one source.)

Jeffrey Lewis • Trial Operational Deterrence

 

[Gijoe]

is this nuke going to wipe out the INDIAN anytime soon. I dunno how strong the INDIAN nukes, I only heard strong from their mouths. When I look through all their weapons export to other country thread, all I see are US patent or Russian patent weapons with label made in INDIA. lol

 

[ChineseTiger1986]

Hey Broccoli, how about you to get a life and stop being obsessive to bash China's nuclear weapons?

BTW, don't reply my post, since you are in my ignored list.

 

[Mao1949]

China has over 3000 nuclear weapons and now the DF-41 ICBM. Hans Kristensen is another Gordan Chang. Both are amateur noobs and good for comedic relief only.