On February 3, 2017, the Rocket Army conducted equipment support training in a simulated heavy rain environment in the base, during which DF-15B short-range ballistic missiles were erected in rows.
On February 3, 2017, the Rocket Army conducted equipment support training in a simulated heavy rain environment in the base, during which DF-15B short-range ballistic missiles were erected in rows.
On February 3, 2017, the Rocket Army conducted equipment support training in a simulated heavy rain environment in the base, during which DF-15B short-range ballistic missiles were erected in rows.
[Global Network Military Report on February 6 Global Times Special Reporter Chapter Global Times reporter Liu Yang] The so-called "Dongfeng -5C" intercontinental missile test conducted by China last month has recently attracted continuous attention from overseas media. Taiwanese media said that the mainland could install more than 10 missiles of this type a year, while Russian media said that this would make the outside world reevaluate China’s nuclear forces, and China may achieve a leap-forward breakthrough approaching the strategic nuclear forces of the United States and Russia in the next few years. American experts claim that the increasing threat of ballistic missiles will make the first island chain insecure.
More than 10 pieces of "Dongfeng -5C" are installed in a year?
Taiwan Province’s "Wang Bao" reported on the 5th that the mainland recently launched an "Dongfeng -5C" intercontinental ballistic missile with 10 sub-guided warheads. The Ministry of National Defense of the mainland claims that the launch of the "Dongfeng -5C" intercontinental ballistic missile is an ordinary scientific research experiment. According to the article, the mainland will mass-produce this type of missile. Considering the similarities between the structure of Dongfeng -5 and the Long March -2 series rockets, the mainland may deploy 10 to 15 new missiles of this level every year.
Russian satellite news network published a comment by Russian military expert Vasily Kashin, saying that the successful test of the new missile Dongfeng -5C made the outside world reassess China’s nuclear power. According to the article, although Chinese mainland began to deploy the powerful solid fuel "Dongfeng -41" missile with multiple warheads, the liquid fuel missile will not be retired in the short term. China’s top management is not satisfied with the modernization and upgrading of about 20 existing Dongfeng -5 missiles. Before investing in the development of more improved versions of Dongfeng -41, liquid fuel missiles will still exist in the coming decades. The article said that this news also enabled people to re-examine the growth prospects of China’s nuclear reserves. It was previously speculated that "Dongfeng -41" would replace "Dongfeng -5" and increase the number of these missiles. Now it seems that "Dongfeng -41" will be a supplement to the existing "Dongfeng -5" nuclear arsenal. Kashin believes that there is more and more reason to expect China to achieve a leap-forward breakthrough approaching the strategic nuclear forces of the United States and Russia in the next few years, which will lead to fundamental changes in the rules of the game in the Asia-Pacific region.
Why develop liquid fuel intercontinental missiles?
An China military expert who asked not to be named told the Global Times reporter on the 5th that, on the whole, the intercontinental ballistic missiles in the world are becoming "solid", that is, using solid fuel rocket engines. Compared with liquid fuel missile, it has the advantages of small volume, simple structure, short launch preparation period, fast response, and mobile launch to improve survivability. So why did China develop the solid fuel "Dongfeng -41" and test the liquid fuel "Dongfeng -5C"? The expert said that on the one hand, China can improve the existing older Dongfeng -5 ballistic missile through the application of multi-warhead independent guidance technology, and improve its penetration ability and strike power. One can be used as several pieces, which can be called China’s "Satan" missile; On the other hand, with the current miniaturization technology of solid rocket engines and nuclear warheads in China, it may be difficult for solid intercontinental ballistic missiles to carry 10 nuclear warheads and fly more than 10,000 kilometers. If "Dongfeng -5C" can achieve "one bomb with ten heads", it will undoubtedly greatly improve the overall penetration capability of China’s nuclear forces and the scale of nuclear strikes.
Although well-based deployment reduces the survivability of missiles, it is not insurmountable. Russian expert Kashin also mentioned in the article that the original "Dongfeng -5" was deployed in tunnels or silos, and the launch preparation time was long (some models took 30-60 minutes, while others took up to 2 hours). The few launchers of "Dongfeng -5" were destroyed by the first wave of enemy attacks. Kashin believes that the situation has changed now. First of all, "Dongfeng -5" is no longer the only nuclear weapon that China can reach American territory, and mobile "Dongfeng -31" and "Dongfeng -41" can also pose such a threat; Second, China is building its own missile attack early warning system and strategic anti-missile system. It can be predicted that the start-up time of the new modification of "Dongfeng -5" will be substantially shortened after a large number of modifications.
Experts in China said that the survivability and deterrence of nuclear missiles deployed in wells can be effectively improved by strengthening, disguising and reliable early warning systems of the sky and the ground, so the United States and Russia still deployed a large number of intercontinental missiles launched in wells. Experts say that what kind of missiles a country develops and what kind of deployment methods it adopts probably depends on its technical foundation. Both the United States and Europe have realized the "solidization" of intercontinental ballistic missiles. Russia’s solid ballistic missiles are limited, so it still develops heavy-duty liquid intercontinental ballistic missiles. Britain and France have limited land area, so they mainly rely on sea-based nuclear forces. However, if a country’s nuclear submarine technology is not so advanced, it is better to settle for land-based deployment.
The United States may re-examine the missile defense system
China’s recent missile test has worried Americans. The US media reported on the 5th that China allegedly used an "Dongfeng -5C" intercontinental missile for the first time last month and launched 10 warheads with independent aiming capability at the same time, which was regarded as another breakthrough in China’s efforts to develop advanced missile technology. At the same time, some defense think tanks in Washington issued reports that China is developing and deploying advanced ballistic missiles and cruise missiles against the military facilities of the United States and its allies in the Asia-Pacific region, with the aim of preventing the United States and its allies from interfering with China’s military expansion in the Asia-Pacific region.
According to the article, Ricky Ellison, chairman of the American Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance, said that China’s missile power has become so strong that it is difficult for the United States and its allies to defend the first island chain. Ellison said: "They have demonstrated the ability to attack (the first island chain) from all directions by land, air and sea. No matter what kind of defense facilities we have, they can use enough ammunition to carry out saturated attacks. " Former US Naval Operations Minister and retired Admiral Grennet also said that the capability of the US Navy’s missile defense system to deal with China’s missile threat is "close to the limit".
According to reports, Trump inspected the Pentagon last week and ordered the Ministry of National Defense to evaluate the existing missile defense capabilities of the US military and its future strengthening measures. The US Navy currently has 33 warships with ballistic missile defense capabilities. During the campaign, Trump said that he would quickly install ballistic missile defense systems on 11 other cruisers and said that he would increase the overall size of the naval fleet. The article also believes that in the face of more and more missiles with advanced technology in China in the future, the US military needs new technologies with non-hard killing and low cost, including directed energy weapons and electronic warfare. A report published by CSBA, the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Evaluation of Washington’s defense affairs think tank, said that the US military should also consider expanding and strengthening the land-based anti-missile facilities deployed by the United States in the Asia-Pacific region.
