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 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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