Know about the DongFeng 21 (DF-21, NATO code name: CSS-5) – China deploys CCS-5 missiles on border with India

Know about the DongFeng 21 (DF-21, NATO code name: CSS-5) – China deploys CCS-5 missiles on border with India

Reality Views by sm –
Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Medium range ballistic missiles -



The DongFeng 21 (DF-21, NATO code name: CSS-5) –
Country: - People’s Republic of China
Alternate Name: - DF-21
Class: -MRBM
Basing: -Road mobile
Length: -0.70 m
Diameter: -1.40 m
Launch Weight: -14700 kg
Payload: -Single warhead, 600 kg
Warhead: -Nuclear 250 or 500kT, HE, sub munitions, or chemical
Propulsion: - 2-stage solid
Range: - 2150 km
Status: -Operational
In Service: -1987
Developed by China Changfeng Mechanics and Electronics Technology Academy (also known as 2nd Space Academy).



Note that - Many believe that China has plans or desire to take control of Arunachal Pradesh, which China asserts as part of Tibet and therefore of China, and over the Aksai Chin region at the western end of the Tibetan Plateau.

The CSS-5 is a variant of the CSS-N-3 sea-launched ballistic missile system which started development in the mid 1960s.

The first CSS-5 test launch occurred in 1982 and became operational in 1987.
An improved CSS-5 Mod 2 became operational in 1996.

It is believed that production of the CSS-5 was approximately 35-50 in 1994 and had increased to 50-100 by 1998.
It is reported that production of the CSS-5 had ceased by 1998.

The CSS-5 is a medium-range, road mobile, solid-propellant ballistic missile.
It was the first road mobile, solid propellant missile system developed by the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
It is a variant on the CSS-N-3 (JL-1) submarine-launched system and replaced the obsolete CSS-1 in the early 1980s.
The primary advantage of the CSS-5 is its solid-propellant system, which significantly increases its service life and mobility while decreasing its maintenance cost and the required launch time.

The CSS-5 is a tactical missile system, though it has a few strategic applications.
While its payload and accuracy are sufficient to destroy civilian population centers, it lacks the range to reach key Russian or US cities.
The CSS-5 can be effectively used as a deterrent against India,

It is capable of being used against large targets such as airports, seaports, or key staging areas.
It is reasonably effective against these targets even if not deployed with a nuclear warhead, making it an effective tactical system.

In the case of an attack on Taiwan, CSS-5 missiles with conventional warheads will almost certainly be used to soften the island prior to an invasion by striking defensive forces.

The CSS-5 system is highly mobile, resulting from its solid propellant and Transporter-Erector-Launcher (TEL) vehicle launch system.

It can be easily transported, and its launch time is only several minutes, making it able to be deployed during a rapidly changing military situation.
Its TEL system enables it to be moved to critical areas quickly and avoid targeting by opposing forces.
This greatly increases its effectiveness as a tactical system and enables it to be hidden in rough terrain.

The CSS-5 system is also used to project power in Asia.
The CSS-5 is currently deployed at the Burmese border.
Now China has deployed the CSS-5 at the close to the borders with India and developed contingency plans to shift airborne forces at short notice to the region.
The PRC uses its nuclear and military superiority to exert control in the region

The CSS-5 can deploy its 600 kg payload with a minimum range of 500 km (311 miles) and a maximum range of 2,150 km (1,336 miles).
Its payload carries a single warhead that can be equipped with a 250 or 500 kT yield nuclear device, conventional high explosives, submunitions, and chemical agents.
It uses an inertial guidance system that is capable of striking with an accuracy of 700 m CEP.
It has a length of 10.7 m, a diameter of 1.4 m and a launch weight of 14,700 kg. The missile uses a two-stage solid propellant engine.

The DF-21 has also been developed into space launcher and anti-satellite/anti-missile weapon carrier.

DF-21C is a conventionally-armed MRBM system with upgraded mobile launcher and guidance system. The missile was said to have a payload of 2,000kg and a maximum range of 1,700km.

The DF-21A missile is believed to be configured for strategic missions only. The missile is carried inside a canister mounted on a truck-towed trailer for road-mobile.
The missile is placed inside a cylinder-shape container/launcher, with its nose extending outside of the launcher.
The missile container/launcher is in horizontal position when in traveling and vertical position during launch.
At the bottom of the container/launcher there are four large hydraulically operated stabilizers, which are lowered in preparation for the missile launch.
The missile is contained in an alumni-alloy cylinder launch–tube which keeps the missile in an invariable temperature environment.
The launch tubes have an elevation range of 0 to 90 degrees.
The azimuth range is from -180 to +180 degrees.
The missile launch-tube is carried on a 3-axes semi-trailer TEL, which is towed by a HY473 6X6 tractor truck.
The TEL trailer and tractor are equipped with hydraulically operated stabilisers which are lowered in preparation for the missile launch.




The sad part of this news is that We Indians come to know about this from Pentagon.
Pentagon in a report to the US Congress said, tensions remain along the Sino-India borders with rising instances of border violation and aggressive border patrolling by Chinese soldiers.
In its annual report, the US Defense department said, to improve regional deterrence, the PLA has replaced older liquid-fueled, nuclear capable CCS-3 intermediate range missiles with more advanced and survivable fueled CSS-5 MRBMs.

China is [ 50 or more ICBMs ] capable of targeting the United States
China’s provision of solid-propellant missile technology more than 15 years ago helped Pakistan develop the Shaheen II medium-range and Abdali short-range ballistic missiles.

India what we got -
The Agni III will allow India to strike targets as far away as Beijing.



Suggested Reading – Power of Agni
India - Agni Missile III Ready For Induction in Indian Army –
http://realityviews.blogspot.com/2010/02/india-agni-missile-iii-ready-for.html