The concealed DF-25 missile during transportation. (Internet Photo)
Based on the DF-21 medium-range ballistic missile, China has recently developed a more advanced DF-25 medium-range ballistic missile. The advanement follows India's completion of its Agni-V intercontinental ballistic missile, capabile of carrying nuclear warheads, reports the Qingdao News website.
The range of the DF-25 is estimated to be 3,200 kilometers. Even though it is still unable to compete against the Agni-V — with a range of 5,000km — the DF-25 is still capable of striking all major targets within the Asia-Pacific, including US military facilities at Guam, said the report. The DF-25 is also the first medium-range missile which can carry multiple conventional warheads.
The DF-25 can carry up to three warheads to strike multiple targets in a region. Combined with the Beidou Navigation Satellite System, the DF-25 can be mobilized to conduct precision attacks against US carrier strike groups as well. This will become another deadly threat to the US naval force operating in the Western Pacific, along with the DF-21D, according to the report. In addition, the the DF-25 is very difficult to intercept.
In this article, the Qingdao News website said that the speed of the DF-25's warhead is estimated at 7,000km/second, surpassing any ability of American surface-to-air missiles based in the Asia-Pacific region to intercept it. Once this weapon is mobilized against the United States, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan, there will be no other weapon with the ability to stop it from reaching its target. In short, it renders the US Theater Missile Defense system in the region completely useless.
China's DF-25 medium-range ballistic missile revealed｜Politics｜News｜WantChinaTimes.com
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