Lankan Ranger
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DongFeng 31A (CSS-9) Intercontinental Ballistic Missile
The DongFeng 31A (NATO reporting name: CSS-9 Mod-2) is a road-mobile, three-stage, solid-propellant intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), designed to carry a single 1,000kT thermal nuclear warhead.
The missile was developed from the DongFeng 31 (CSS-9), with extended range and improved performance. About 10 DongFeng 31A missiles have been deployed by the PLA Second Artillery Corps since 2006~07 to supplement its silo-based DongFeng 5 (CSS-4) ICBM. A submarine-launched ballistic missile JuLang 2 is also being developed based on the DongFeng 31 technology.
The DongFeng 31A offers a number of technological and operational advantages over older Chinese missiles such as DF-4 (CSS-3). Instead of being launched from a fixed location, the DongFeng 31A can be transported on its transporter-erector-launcher (TEL) vehicle to one of many predetermined launch sites, giving greater survivability in the event of a first strike.
The use of solid propellant gives the missile a longer service lifespan and shorter launch preparation time compared to the liquid fuel ICBMs.
The DongFeng 31A is said to be armed with a lightweight warhead allegedly copied from the U.S. W-88 or W-70 warhead designs, though so far no sound evidence has been found to support this claim.
Furthermore, the DongFeng 31A is believed to have incorporated many advanced technologies similar to current generation Russian ICBMs, including the use of penetration aids such as decoys or chaffs to complicate enemy’s missile warning and defence system.
Design
It was estimated that the DongFeng 31A had a payload of about 700kg (other source suggested between 1,050 and 1,750kg), which can be equipped with a single 1,000kT yield nuclear warhead. The maximum range of the missile is 10,700~11,200km.
The missile uses an inertial guidance system that is equipped with a stellar update system, and is expected to have an accuracy of at least 300m CEP. Some resource suggested that the silo and TEL-based versions of the DongFeng 31A have 100m and 150m CEP respectively.
The road-mobile DongFeng 31A is carried inside a large canister launcher mounted on a 16-wheeled HY473 or HY4301 TEL consisting of a tractor and a semi-trailer. The TEL vehicle appeared to be only suitable for road travelling, with little, if any, off-road travelling capability.
A new single 12- or 16-wheeled TEL similar to those used by the Russian ICBM systems is reportedly in development. There has been speculation that China was also developing a railway-based TEL for the DongFeng 31 but this cannot be confirmed.
The DongFeng 31A (NATO reporting name: CSS-9 Mod-2) is a road-mobile, three-stage, solid-propellant intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), designed to carry a single 1,000kT thermal nuclear warhead.
The missile was developed from the DongFeng 31 (CSS-9), with extended range and improved performance. About 10 DongFeng 31A missiles have been deployed by the PLA Second Artillery Corps since 2006~07 to supplement its silo-based DongFeng 5 (CSS-4) ICBM. A submarine-launched ballistic missile JuLang 2 is also being developed based on the DongFeng 31 technology.
The DongFeng 31A offers a number of technological and operational advantages over older Chinese missiles such as DF-4 (CSS-3). Instead of being launched from a fixed location, the DongFeng 31A can be transported on its transporter-erector-launcher (TEL) vehicle to one of many predetermined launch sites, giving greater survivability in the event of a first strike.
The use of solid propellant gives the missile a longer service lifespan and shorter launch preparation time compared to the liquid fuel ICBMs.
The DongFeng 31A is said to be armed with a lightweight warhead allegedly copied from the U.S. W-88 or W-70 warhead designs, though so far no sound evidence has been found to support this claim.
Furthermore, the DongFeng 31A is believed to have incorporated many advanced technologies similar to current generation Russian ICBMs, including the use of penetration aids such as decoys or chaffs to complicate enemy’s missile warning and defence system.
Design
It was estimated that the DongFeng 31A had a payload of about 700kg (other source suggested between 1,050 and 1,750kg), which can be equipped with a single 1,000kT yield nuclear warhead. The maximum range of the missile is 10,700~11,200km.
The missile uses an inertial guidance system that is equipped with a stellar update system, and is expected to have an accuracy of at least 300m CEP. Some resource suggested that the silo and TEL-based versions of the DongFeng 31A have 100m and 150m CEP respectively.
The road-mobile DongFeng 31A is carried inside a large canister launcher mounted on a 16-wheeled HY473 or HY4301 TEL consisting of a tractor and a semi-trailer. The TEL vehicle appeared to be only suitable for road travelling, with little, if any, off-road travelling capability.
A new single 12- or 16-wheeled TEL similar to those used by the Russian ICBM systems is reportedly in development. There has been speculation that China was also developing a railway-based TEL for the DongFeng 31 but this cannot be confirmed.
