DF-41
DF-41 missile on a HTF5980.
TypeICBM
Place of originChina
Service history
In service2017
Used byPeople's Liberation Army Rocket Force
Production history
ManufacturerChina Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT)
Specifications
Mass~80,000 kilograms (180,000 lb) [1]
Length~22 metres (72 ft)[1]
Diameter~2.25 m (7 ft 5 in)[1]
Warhead8 x 250 kt or 10 x 150 kt MIRVs
EngineThree-stage Solid-fuel rocket
Operational
range
~12,000–15,000 kilometres (7,500–9,300 mi)[1]
Maximum speed Mach 26 (31,425 km/h; 19,625 mph; 8,660 m/s)[2]
Guidance
system
Inertial, likely with stellar updates and BeiDou[3]
Accuracy~100 m CEP[3]
Launch
platform
Silo, road-mobile Transporter erector launcher, rail-mobile

The Dongfeng-41 or DF-41 (simplified Chinese: 东风-41; traditional Chinese: 東風-41; lit. 'East Wind-41'; NATO reporting name: CH-SS-20[4]) is a fourth-generation Chinese solid-fuelled road-mobile intercontinental ballistic missile operated by the People's Liberation Army Rocket Force (formerly the Second Artillery Corps). DF-41 is the fourth and the latest generation of the Dongfeng series strategic missiles developed by China.[5] The missile was officially unveiled at the China National Day military parade on 1 October 2019.

Design

The missile reportedly has an operational range between 12,000 to 13,000 kilometres (7,500 to 8,100 mi).[1] It is believed to have a top speed of Mach 25,[2] and to be capable of MIRV delivery (up to 10).[6] The development of the MIRV technology is reported to be in response to the deployment of the United States national missile defense system which degrades China's nuclear deterrence capability.[7] The project started in 1986,[6] and may now be coupled with the JL-3 program.

Though there have been reports that the DF-41 can carry 3 to 8 warheads, analysts think it most likely carries only three warheads, with the additional payload used for many penetration aids.[8]

Richard Fisher, an expert on Asia-Pacific military affairs, says that a typical PLA Rocket Force unit has 6-12 missile launchers and may have an additional 6-12 "reload missiles", i.e. missiles to be launched after the first missile with which the launcher is equipped are launched, indicating 12-24 DF-41 missiles per unit. If a missile had 10 warheads, that would give a single PLARF unit the capability to target the contiguous United States with 120-240 nuclear warheads.[9]

Development

In April 2013, Taiwan's National Security Bureau head reported to the Legislative Yuan that the DF-41 was still in development, and not yet deployed.[10]

The U.S. Department of Defense in its 2013 report to Congress on China's military developments made no explicit mention of the DF-41, but did state that "China may also be developing a new road-mobile ICBM, possibly capable of carrying a multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicle (MIRV)", which may refer to the DF-41.[11]

In August 2014, China's Shaanxi Provincial Environmental Monitoring Center website accidentally published a news report about an environmental monitoring site for a DF-41 ICBM; the news report (and entire website) was taken down shortly after getting public attention.[12]

In August 2015, the missile was flight-tested for the fourth time.[3] In December 2015, the missile was flight-tested for the fifth time. The flight tests demonstrated the use of two multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles. The missile launch and dummy warheads were tracked by satellites to an impact range in western China.[13]

In April 2016, China successfully conducted the 7th test of DF-41 with two dummy warheads near the South China Sea, amid growing tensions between Washington and Beijing about the area.[14]

On January 23, 2017, China was reported to have deployed a strategic ballistic missile brigade to Heilongjiang province, bordering Russia, along with another strategic ballistic missile brigade deploying to Xinjiang.[15]

In November 2017, just two days before U.S. President Trump's visit to China, the DF-41 was tested in the Gobi desert.[16][17]

On October 1, 2019, China publicly displayed the missiles for the first time on its 70th Anniversary National Day military parade. [18]

Rail-mobile versions

On 5 December 2015, China conducted a launcher test of a new rail-mobile version of the DF-41, similar to the Russian RT-23 Molodets.[19][20]

Silo-based versions

In 2021, the Federation of American Scientists (FAS) said China was building 120 missile silos for DF-41 near Yumen in Gansu and another 110 missile silos near Hami in Xinjiang.[21]

A third site was discovered to be under construction near Ordos in Inner Mongolia in August, 2021. The new site will hold more than 100 ICBM.[22]

Together, the three new missile bases will house 350 to 400 new long-range nuclear missiles, U.S. officials said. [23][24]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "DF-41 (Dong Feng-41 / CSS-X-20)". Center for Strategic and International Studies. October 8, 2019. Archived from the original on 2017-02-02. Retrieved 2021-07-28.
  2. 1 2 "China Reports DF-41 ICBM Test-Launch: Armed Forces International News". Archived from the original on 2014-08-08. Retrieved 2013-03-20.
  3. 1 2 3 "DF-41 (Dong Feng-41 / CSS-X-20)". Missile Threat.
  4. ↑ The International Institute for Strategic Studies (15 February 2023). "6 Asia". The Military Balance 2023. London: Routledge. doi:10.4324/9781003400226. ISBN 9781003400226. S2CID 256916955.
  5. ↑ "China's strategic deterrents on display". China Daily. 2 October 2019. Retrieved 19 October 2019.
  6. 1 2 "DF-41 (CSS-X-10) (China) - Jane's Strategic Weapon Systems". Janes.com. June 1, 2010. Archived from the original on 2011-03-26.
  7. ↑ Arjun Subramanian P (12 November 2012). "DF-41: China's answer to the US BMD efforts". Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses. Retrieved 8 March 2014.
  8. ↑ Kristensen, Hans M.; Norris, Robert S. (2018). "Chinese nuclear forces, 2018". Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. 74 (4): 289–295. Bibcode:2018BuAtS..74d.289K. doi:10.1080/00963402.2018.1486620.
  9. ↑ "Chinese Government Website Confirms New Multi-Warhead ICBM". Washington Free Beacon. 2014-08-01. Retrieved 2019-10-02.
  10. ↑ Rogge Chen and Sofia Wu (15 April 2013). "China yet to deploy 094 sub, JL-2 & DF-41 missiles: security head". Focus Taiwan. Central News Agency. Retrieved 19 April 2013.
  11. ↑ Military and Security Developments Involving the People's Republic of China 2013 (PDF). Office of the Secretary of Defense (Report). U.S. Department of Defense. 2013. p. 6. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 January 2015. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
  12. ↑ "China 'confirms new generation long range missiles'". Daily Telegraph. AFP. 1 August 2014. Retrieved 2 August 2014.
  13. ↑ "China Missile Test | Multi-Warhead Missile". December 11, 2015.
  14. ↑ "China Confirms Multiple-Warhead Missile Test in South China Sea". April 21, 2016.
  15. ↑ Say Hello to China's ICBMs, SpaceDaily.com, 2017-01-30
  16. ↑ "Did China test a missile that could strike US ahead of Trump's visit?". South China Morning Post. 2017-11-09. Retrieved 2019-06-08.
  17. ↑ Bora, Kukil (November 10, 2017). "Ahead of Trump visit, China likely tested 12,000-km-range missile that could strike anywhere in US". International Business Times, India Edition.
  18. ↑ "China displays new hypersonic nuclear missile on 70th anniversary". www.aljazeera.com.
  19. ↑ Fisher Jr, Richard (23 December 2015). "China developing new rail-mobile ICBM, say US officials". Jane's 360. Archived from the original on 24 December 2015. Retrieved 25 October 2019.
  20. ↑ "Chinese Defense Ministry Confirms Rail-Mobile ICBM Test". December 31, 2015.
  21. ↑ "China Is Building A Second Nuclear Missile Silo Field". Federation Of American Scientists. Retrieved 2021-08-01.
  22. ↑ "EXCLUSIVE: China building third missile field for hundreds of new ICBMs". The Washington Times.
  23. ↑ "The Chinese Nuclear Breakout and the Biden Administration's Nuclear Posture Review | RealClearDefense". 28 August 2021.
  24. ↑ "China's nuclear missile silo expansion: From minimum deterrence to medium deterrence". Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. 2021-09-01. Retrieved 2021-10-02.
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