Wait - So that means the DF-17 actually has two separate variants, namely the waverider (base, DF-17A?) and conical (DF-17B?) variants sharing the same booster rocket?
China IRBM/SRBM (and non-ICBM/SLBM) thread
- Thread starter Blitzo
- Start date
Wait - So that means the DF-17 actually has two separate variants, namely the waverider (base, DF-17A?) and conical (DF-17B?) variants sharing the same booster rocket?
As the trio revealed in a previous live stream, the PLARF felt the DF-17 was too accurate, approaching the tipping point of diminishing returns.
Last edited:
Makes complete sense. HGVs are unnecessary for many if not most strikes after initial waves & DF-16 was getting quite old (with limited range). This will do the heavy lifting in the FIC.
China needs ultra cheap missiles to be able withstand the consumption in a full scale war. Million dollar missiles will not be useful in a proper pacific war.
Also now that China has a powerful air force, they should start focusing on air launched stand off missiles for its massive fighter fleet, both cruise and ballistic. Those will be cheaper, smaller and more numerous and still have flexibility of air launched missiles since China will be slowly becoming more expedionary
I like to think of it more like this modularity (many warheads/many bodies) allows a lot of flexibility.
Even DF-17 class missiles will still be expensive (~$1 Million?), even with a simpler conical warhead.
That is just the nature of higher-end ballistic and cruise missiles .
---
For the next 10 years, China's focus will still be on the 1st and 2nd Island Chains.
Given the lack of land bases to the 2nd Island Chain and aircraft carriers, the Chinese Air Force will still be largely limited to Mainland China.
Given that all of the 1st Island Chain is within 1300km of mainland China, this can be covered by low-cost missiles launched from land. There's the Gerbera (~$10K), Shaheed (~$30K) and jet-powered Gerans (~$100K).
As for the 2nd Island Chain, there just aren't many targets.
IMO China should develop more ALBMs that can be carried by its heavy or medium weight fighterjets, because as it stands there isn't much diversity in that area. ALBMs can bring the benefit of being launched from long standoff ranges, have very decreased time to target, and amplified effectiveness because most of china's targets don't have suffecient ABM capabilities. Also considering that any kind of SEAD can't be achieved until later in the conflict
Who says there are no targets in 2nd island chain distances, don't just look east, look west, look south.
China can project power just from within its border to Europe, Middle-East, Australia, SEA, all within range of long range missile or PLA bombers with standoff missile. China's location is its biggest advantage and the biggest curse. They are located in the center of Asia, which is the part of the world with the most amount of people in the world, most amount of land, most amount of resources.
Which means China has the most amount of potential enemies but also it can gain the most amount of dominance just from within its own borders.
If US can claim western hemisphere as its backyard, China can start to claim Eastern hemisphere as its own. Just by using its air force and rocket force.
Remember that a Shaheed already has a 2000-2500km range when launched from a truck.
That covers pretty much all the land targets that matter.
The South is actually pretty friendly, until you reach a handful of bases located in Australia.
Looking West, China shares land borders with many countries, which are not realistic threats.
The thing is, what core interests does China have?
In these regions it is mostly about trade, not military dominance and vassals like the USA.
But let's say China does have military dominance to a distance of 2500-3000km from its borders to the Middle East. That covers all of the Persian Gulf. But what then?
---
In the Middle East, we basically have a situation where there are many tribes always squabbling and fighting each other.
Then you have the religious dimension, with fanatics in charge of a Muslim Iran, Jewish Israel and Christian USA - essentially fighting over Jerusalem and Palestine as a holy land. It's not an exaggeration that they all think they are doing God's will, but remember they actually worship the same God.
So what does China gain from building a dominant military and then using it in the Middle East?
But having said that, with what China has to build anyway in terms of military capability for the Western Pacific, this can be redirected to the South and West, if really required.
---
I also think that India is too big for China to dominate