China Ballistic Missiles and Nuclear Arms Thread

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GreenestGDP

GreenestGDP

Junior Member
I am sorry for the late reply, antiterror13.
LoL
Firstly, I am definitely no expert.

My apology to all.
My earlier DF-5B posting was inaccurate.


According to this distant, indirect, unofficial and vague source ... ...
:)


Illustration of Hybrid rocket system

Rocket--propulsion--Hybrids.png


The DF-5B is using a modular Hybrid rocket system of
( Liquid + Solid + Catalyst ) chemical fuels mixtures in all 5 flight stages.

The DF-5B uses special modular Liquid catalyst fuel tanks.

Most parts are made using Additive Manufacturing method.
Therefore they are at least 50% lighter and much more robust compare to DF-5A,
and way faster and cheaper to produce, because the subtractive manufacturing
( using CNC ) processes are less than 10%.

The AM method also allow the production of highly precise
( up to 20 microns accuracy ) Liquid fuel Turbopumps.


Each DF-5B missile has a unique preset variable thrust during the downward 4th and 5th stages.
Thus, each DF-5B missile flight speed is very unpredictable and leave no flight pattern.

Using, modular Liquid catalyst fuel tank, ... ...
It only takes less than 3 minutes to fuel and launch.

For comparison DF-5 can take up to 60 minutes to fuel and launch.


PLA--ballistic--missiles--Range.jpg


antiterror13 said:
Interesting, is there any other ICBMs with combination of solid fuel (1st stage) and liquid fuel ?
Click to expand...

Actually, Hybrid rocket system concept has been around since 1950.
For example: Virgin Galactic Spaceship 2 is using Hybrid rocket system.


NOTE:
Sorry for the secretive nature of ICBM, there is no link or website provided.
Please take this info with multiple grain of iodized salt.

:)
 
vesicles

vesicles

Colonel
siegecrossbow said:
Not any more. They only show reality shows on the History Channel now :D.
Click to expand...

Yep, they moved it to H2. Still, it's something belonged to tabloid, not History channel. Every time I watch it, I wonder if these "ancient astronaut theorists" must have smoked something...

The History channel used to have many good documentaries. Now it's filled with reality shows. It's still fun to watch sometimes, but not the respected channel that it used to be. The same should also be said of the Discovery channel. It's now a hot rod / wilderness survival channel. Sad...
 
I

Insignius

Junior Member
Do we actually know the throw-weight of the DF-5B? because there are a lot of naysayers who claim that the DF-5B can only carry 3 MIRV, each weighting 1 ton. This assumes that both the DF-5B hasnt improved the previously known throw-weight of 3 tons of the DF-5A, and that China's miniaturization of nukes is still roughly 40 years behind the West.
Regarding latter, IIRC there was the rumor that China aquired the W88 technology through the Clinton Administration and was able to produce low-weight high-yield warheads since then, but are there any evidence of that?
I only know that the Chinese supercomputers are suspected by the US of being used for nuclear warhead miniaturization research and simulation, which is why the export of chips to China is banned by the US.
 
S

schenkus

Junior Member
Registered Member
Insignius said:
Do we actually know the throw-weight of the DF-5B? because there are a lot of naysayers who claim that the DF-5B can only carry 3 MIRV, each weighting 1 ton. This assumes that both the DF-5B hasnt improved the previously known throw-weight of 3 tons of the DF-5A, and that China's miniaturization of nukes is still roughly 40 years behind the West.
Regarding latter, IIRC there was the rumor that China aquired the W88 technology through the Clinton Administration and was able to produce low-weight high-yield warheads since then, but are there any evidence of that?
I only know that the Chinese supercomputers are suspected by the US of being used for nuclear warhead miniaturization research and simulation, which is why the export of chips to China is banned by the US.
Click to expand...

According to the armscontrolwonk website (which seems to have good information about these kind of topics), in order to have independently targetable warheads (the I in MIRV) you need a "bus" to manoever the warheads. This bus (with the necessary fuel) seems to need about the same weight as the warheads it's moving.

With a throw-weight of 3 tons this gives you 3 reentry vehicles with ~500kg each and a bus with 1,5 tons. The ~500kg seem to match the general guesses about the weight of the warheads used in Chinas mobile missiles.

From what I read, the last chinese nuclear tests in the 90s where needed to get these ~500kg (and about 500kt yield) warheads ready.

I guess China nowadays has the technology to build smaller warheads but the question is if they are confident enough in their simulations to actually deploy these without new nuclear tests. (or perhaps some of the tests in the 90s were already in preparation for the next generation of weapons ?)
 
Broccoli

Broccoli

Senior Member
According to the air force report leaked to Mr Gertz in 1996 the warhead Chinese tested for mobile missiles weights 470kg (yield between 500-800kt). W88 is said to weight 300-350kg depending on what source you believe.

Warhead weight also depends on what type fissile material (U-235 pit is heavier) and explosives are used, shape/thickness of explosive lenses, materials used in manufacturing the warhead outer shell, etc.
 
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