Dinesh jain
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China has flight tested an upgraded version of
its 10,000-km range Dongfeng missile which
could reach most of the US and European
cities, days ahead of its October 1st National
Day to demonstrate its nuclear capability,
media reports said.
The People's Liberation Army, (PLA) launched
a Dongfeng-31B on September 25 from the
Wuzhai Missile and Space Test Centre also
known as the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Centre
in Shanxi province, Hong Kong-based South
China Morning Post reported quoting US media
reports.
The first flight test of an upgraded mobile
intercontinental ballistic missile in the lead-up
to National Day aimed to show the world that
China was reinforcing its nuclear deterrent, it
quoted military experts as saying.
The DF-31B is an upgraded version of the
DF-31A and the launch was at least the
second time the PLA's Second Artillery Corps
had tested a DF-31 missile in the past three
months.
In late July, the PLA conducted a flight test of
a DF-31A in what was the fourth known flight
test of that missile in two years, it said.
The DF-31 system has an estimated range of
nearly 10,000 kms, enough to deliver a nuclear
warhead to the capitals of Europe or the west
coast of the US.
The mobile missiles are designed specifically
for travel over rugged terrain and in difficult
road conditions.
Xu Guangyu, a Beijing-based retired PLA major
general said the strategic aim of the test is
"Beijing just wants to increase China's military
might and its nuclear strategic threat. It's not
really targeting the US or other countries".
"China needs to conduct intensive weapons
tests and military drills because the (US-led
build-up) now in the Asia-Pacific area is not
good for Beijing," he told the Post.
Earlier state media reports said Beijing would
roll out the Dongfeng-41, a system designed to
have a range of 12,000 kms, allowing it to hit
targets anywhere in the US.
Xu said the US' "pivot to Asia" and its plan to
send 60 per cent of its military force to the
region by 2020 had put pressure on Beijing to
step up missile development.
"It's normal for China to develop other, more
advanced missiles given that a weapon cycle is
between five and seven years, and the DF-31A
was delivered to the PLA in 2006," he said.
Macau-based military expert Antony Wong
Dong said it was hard to tell the difference
between the DF-31A and DF-31B, but the
upgraded version might have better
performance.
"The DF-31A was designed to carry three
warheads. I think the new DF-31B is possibly a
multi-warhead version with higher accuracy,"
Wong said.
In January, PLA Daily posted 17 photos of a
live drill of the DF-31A on its website, the first
public glimpse of the advanced weapon.
The PLA also tested a hypersonic vehicle, the
Wu-14, on August 7 in Shanxi. The launch
failed despite a successful first test in January,
the Post report said.
China test fires 10,000-km range nuclear missile
its 10,000-km range Dongfeng missile which
could reach most of the US and European
cities, days ahead of its October 1st National
Day to demonstrate its nuclear capability,
media reports said.
The People's Liberation Army, (PLA) launched
a Dongfeng-31B on September 25 from the
Wuzhai Missile and Space Test Centre also
known as the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Centre
in Shanxi province, Hong Kong-based South
China Morning Post reported quoting US media
reports.
The first flight test of an upgraded mobile
intercontinental ballistic missile in the lead-up
to National Day aimed to show the world that
China was reinforcing its nuclear deterrent, it
quoted military experts as saying.
The DF-31B is an upgraded version of the
DF-31A and the launch was at least the
second time the PLA's Second Artillery Corps
had tested a DF-31 missile in the past three
months.
In late July, the PLA conducted a flight test of
a DF-31A in what was the fourth known flight
test of that missile in two years, it said.
The DF-31 system has an estimated range of
nearly 10,000 kms, enough to deliver a nuclear
warhead to the capitals of Europe or the west
coast of the US.
The mobile missiles are designed specifically
for travel over rugged terrain and in difficult
road conditions.
Xu Guangyu, a Beijing-based retired PLA major
general said the strategic aim of the test is
"Beijing just wants to increase China's military
might and its nuclear strategic threat. It's not
really targeting the US or other countries".
"China needs to conduct intensive weapons
tests and military drills because the (US-led
build-up) now in the Asia-Pacific area is not
good for Beijing," he told the Post.
Earlier state media reports said Beijing would
roll out the Dongfeng-41, a system designed to
have a range of 12,000 kms, allowing it to hit
targets anywhere in the US.
Xu said the US' "pivot to Asia" and its plan to
send 60 per cent of its military force to the
region by 2020 had put pressure on Beijing to
step up missile development.
"It's normal for China to develop other, more
advanced missiles given that a weapon cycle is
between five and seven years, and the DF-31A
was delivered to the PLA in 2006," he said.
Macau-based military expert Antony Wong
Dong said it was hard to tell the difference
between the DF-31A and DF-31B, but the
upgraded version might have better
performance.
"The DF-31A was designed to carry three
warheads. I think the new DF-31B is possibly a
multi-warhead version with higher accuracy,"
Wong said.
In January, PLA Daily posted 17 photos of a
live drill of the DF-31A on its website, the first
public glimpse of the advanced weapon.
The PLA also tested a hypersonic vehicle, the
Wu-14, on August 7 in Shanxi. The launch
failed despite a successful first test in January,
the Post report said.
China test fires 10,000-km range nuclear missile
