Suspected Test of DF-21D Aircraft Carrier Killer Missile with Combat Capability

[xhw1986]

Suspected test of DF-21D missile.

Test of DF-21A.

Test of DF-21B.

US study of China’s development of ASBM.

On January 12, 2014, a photo of suspected test of the launch of DF-21D anti-ship missile was posted on the internet. Judging by the photo, the warhead of the missile is cone-shaped and there are nozzles on the missile for adjusting its direction. Perhaps the nozzles are used for terminal guidance and substantial maneuver to break through enemy defense, That is the first exposure of the test launch of the latest version of DF-21 after the first exposures of China’s DF-21A and DF-21B missiles.

According to an article by Wang Genbin, deputy commander-in-chief of Department 4 of China Aerospace Science & Industry Corp. (CASIC), on a journal publicly available, in the two decades since 1988, China spent 3 billion yuan ($494 million) in successfully developing DF-21A, 21B, 21C and 21D missiles and completed the transition from development of only nuclear missiles to that of both nuclear and conventional missiles and from fixed target to low-speed target. In addition, the accuracy has been improved from several hundred to several tens of meters.

In an interview with Asahi Shimbun, former US Pacific Commander Adm. Robert F. Willard said that China’s DF-21D has acquired initial combat capability

A US research institute believes that in 2011 and 2012, China conducted quite a few launches of DF-21D in the South China Sea and successfully hit and sank a simulated model of aircraft carrier made by transforming China’s Yuanwang 4 survey ship.

In the period between 2012 to 2013, China for the first time deployed for combat its DF-21D anti-ship missiles. One combat brigade of such missiles is located near Zhaoqing, Guangdong Province while a second brigade will be deployed in Anhui or Henan province. At present, US military believes that China’s anti-ship ballistic missile has already had combat capability.

Source: huanqiu.com “Exposure of suspected test launch of DF-21 anti-ship missile that has already been in service according to US source”

 

[Genesis]

you think the US will sell us their kitty hawk or another retired carrier for us to test this out?

Maybe we should buy the Spanish or Indian carrier, just to see if this really works.

 

[UKBengali]

The test could be done with a large obsolete destroyer that China does not need anymore.

With the target pre-known, then the missile can be launched and see whether it can keep track with the evasive manoeuvres that the ship carries out to evade being hit. Even if the missile does not hit the destroyer, what is important is whether it hits within a couple of dozen metres from the centre of the ship as then it would hit a real carrier then.