China Ballistic Missiles and Nuclear Arms Thread

[SinoSoldier]

Very rare footage. Does anyone have the video? Plus, the fact this footage has been officially outed means something new has entered service or about to enter service and I don't think it it just the DF-31B.

Video of the launch:

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Update: the consensus is now that the footage is of the original DF-31 rather than the DF-31A.

 

[SpicySichuan]

Looks like the original DF-31 to me.

 

[by78]

Video of DF-31 launch, from Henri Kenhmann...

 

[Hyperwarp]

Yup, you are right. It looks a lot more like DF-31 than a DF-31A:

 

[FORBIN]

Please, what difference btw A and B variant ? more accurate ? and 3 or 5 MIRV ?

 

[Hyperwarp]

Please, what difference btw A and B variant ? more accurate ? and 3 or 5 MIRV ?

DF-31 - 8,000 km (Max)
DF-31A - 11,200 km (Max)
DF-31B - Unknown, but speculated to be almost identical to DF-31A but with an off-road capable TEL similar to Topol-M.

MIRV capabilities of the DF-31 series is not known. DF-31A/B Speculated to have capability to carry as much as 5 MIRVs but rather small warheads (20 kt each???). DF-31 definitely single warhead.

Here is my speculative/rough sketch on the DF-31 and DF-31A:

 

[kroko]

Here is my speculative/rough sketch on the DF-31 and DF-31A:

Isnt this "DF-31A/B" the DF-41 that people are talking about lately? Or are they different ICBMs? Have this missile ever have show in a photo? The new ICBM-capable TEL that we have seen is considerably lengthier than the older ones, yet retains the width, it seems. I think that the new ICBM (or several of them?) will be longer than DF-31, but same width.

 

[Hyperwarp]

Isnt this "DF-31A/B" the DF-41 that people are talking about lately? Or are they different ICBMs? Have this missile ever have show in a photo? The new ICBM-capable TEL that we have seen is considerably lengthier than the older ones, yet retains the width, it seems. I think that the new ICBM (or several of them?) will be longer than DF-31, but same width.

Nobody here has ever seen a photo of the DF-41 missile itself. Simple fact is, only this year (2016) did we get to see an old DF-31 launch test video. 1st test was in 1999 . Before that we had seen a few models, diagrams and a grainy photo of the DF-31. There are small number of clear photos of the DF-31A upper section but I have never seen the full missile.

So, what the actual DF-41 missile looks like is anyone's guess. There are few

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of the DF-41 TEL.

The point of the DF-41 is to have a heavy mobile ICBM with up to 10 MIRV. DF-31 series cannot do that. Unless it is deliberate misinformation the DF-31B at least by the designation won't significantly increase the capability of the DF-31A. One enhancement is to make an off-road TEL for DF-31A.

 

[SinoSoldier]

Here's my take on the ICBMs:

- DF-31: original solid-fueled ICBM, range = 8000 km, with a single 1 megaton warhead
- DF-31A: upgraded variant, range = 11,200 km, with 3-5 MIRVs
- DF-31B: off-road variant of DF-31A, range = 12,000 km?, with 3-5 MIRVs
- DF-41: new "heavy" ICBM, range = 14000 km, with 10 MIRVs

The DF-31B & DF-41 are in development.

 

[SinoSoldier]

Isnt this "DF-31A/B" the DF-41 that people are talking about lately? Or are they different ICBMs? Have this missile ever have show in a photo? The new ICBM-capable TEL that we have seen is considerably lengthier than the older ones, yet retains the width, it seems. I think that the new ICBM (or several of them?) will be longer than DF-31, but same width.

The DF-41 and DF-31B are separate ICBMs. The DF-31B is a variant of the DF-31A while the DF-41 is unrelated.