Chinese mystery missile, the DF-20, could appear in Oct. 1 parade

FPI / September 6, 2019

By Richard Fisher, Geostrategy-Direct.com

An Aug. 29 article on new missiles that may be displayed in China’s ten-year large military parade on Oct. 1 stated these would include, “hypersonic missiles such as the DF-17 and DF-20 which are capable of breaching missile shields….,” according to “military sources” cited by South China Morning Post writer Minnie Chan.

While images of this Chinese missile have appeared on Chinese web pages since 2011, only now is it being identified by more recent Chinese sources as the ‘DF-20.’ / Richard Fisher

While the DF-17 is largely reported to be a product of the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC), using a maneuvering hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV) warhead atop a version of the 800 to 1,000 km range DF-16 medium range ballistic missile, the DF-20 is largely unknown.

However, an unidentified CASIC missile has appeared on Chinese web pages since July 2011, using a transporter erector launcher (TEL) based on that used by CASIC’s estimated 1,500km range DF-10A land attack cruise missile (LACM).

But the new TEL is larger using 12 wheels, vice 8 wheels for the DF-10A, and it only carries two large missile launcher-storage boxes, vice three boxes for the smaller DF-10A.

As the DF-10A entered service before 2015, there is a possibility this new missile may already be in service; weapons revealed in China’s ten-year anniversary parades usually are in service with the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).

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