New Pentagon maps show the reach of China's expanding missile force
Xinhua/Xu Suhui
- New Pentagon maps show the estimated ranges of China's vast missile arsenal.
- Missiles can reach Taiwan, the Philippines, Japan, Guam, and even the continental US.
- China's missile force has received a lot of investment amid the country's military modernization.
China's missile arsenal is expanding rapidly, and new maps and data from the Pentagon show its size and reach.
China's missile branch, known as the People's Liberation Army Rocket Force, has seen substantial growth in recent years as Beijing builds new platforms for conventional and nuclear strike. Its capabilities threaten US, allied, and partner forces.
The latest Pentagon report on China's military offers estimates for the number of launchers and missiles in the Chinese arsenal, including the country's intercontinental ballistic missiles, key parts of its nuclear deterrent.
Chinese ICBMs include missiles like the DF-5 and DF-41. The Pentagon estimates China has 550 ICBM launchers and 400 missiles with estimated ranges beyond 5,500 km, the threshold for classification as an ICBM.
US Department of Defense
For China's medium-range ballistic missiles, such as China's DF-21s or hypersonic DF-17, the Pentagon assesses that China has 300 launchers for 1,300 missiles with ranges between 1,000 and 3,000 km. The report also documented increases in the number of launchers and missiles for some notable systems. China's intermediate-range ballistic missiles, like the DF-26 missile, jumped from 250 launchers in last year's report to 300 this year, and the number of IRBMs total went from 500 to 550.
These figures illustrate how heavily Beijing has invested in a powerful, diverse missile arsenal. The Pentagon highlighted in its report that the Rocket Force could play an important role in a Chinese invasion of Taiwan or other regional conflict.
According to the latest report, China's rocket force "is prepared to conduct missile attacks against high-value targets, including Taiwan's C2 [command and control] facilities, air bases, and radar sites" as well as deter or delay the US or its allies and partners from coming to Taiwan's aid.
The Pentagon said that the Rocket Force has continued to rehearse strikes in recent military exercises, including 2024 drills simulating an invasion or blockade of Taiwan.
US Department of Defense
One map in the report shows the estimated reach of Chinese missiles that could be particularly relevant in a fight over Taiwan, weapons such as ship- and shore-launched surface-to-air missiles for knocking out hostile aircraft, as well as anti-ship cruise missiles fired from naval platforms like Chinese destroyers and land-based close- and short-range ballistic missiles.
Another Pentagon map shows the estimated reach of China's conventional strike missiles, including the DF-17 and DF-21 MRBMs, the DF-26 IRBM, and the newly fielded DF-27 ICBM, which, like the DF-26 and some DF-21s, has an anti-ship role in addition to land attack.
Many of these systems can reach across the first island chain, which includes Japan, Taiwan, and the Philippines, while longer-range missiles extend toward the second island chain and beyond.
The DF-26 is concerning for US planners. The weapon, nicknamed the "Guam Express," can be armed with either conventional or nuclear warheads and reach US installations on Guam. It can target US aircraft carriers and other surface ships as well.
Bombers, like China's H-6, carrying CJ-20 cruise missiles could threaten parts of Alaska. And then the ICBMs can range significantly further. The DF-27 can, for instance, range parts of the continental United States.
US Department of Defense
The Department of Defense report also looks at China's nuclear strike options, such as land-based ICBMs and submarine-launched ballistic missiles.
China test-launched an ICBM, specifically a DF-31B missile, in September 2024, firing it from a position on Hainan Island into the Pacific. The test was the first beyond the country's borders since the 1980s and allowed China to verify ICBM performance. The Department of Defense suspects weapons tests like these may become more regular.
This year, at a military parade in Beijing, China unveiled new, previously unseen ICBMs, shocking China watchers. Those weapons, including the new DF-61 and DF-31BJ, are not included in the Pentagon's assessments.
China also continues to bolster its nuclear warhead count, estimated at over 600 warheads. Although 2024 saw a slower rate of production than previous years, the Pentagon still assesses that the Chinese military is on its way to 1,000 warheads by 2030, only a fraction of the US and Russian stockpiles.
US Department of Defense
A Pentagon map estimating the ranges of Chinese missiles available for nuclear strike indicates that three — the DF-5, DF-41, and DF-31 — all have the continental US well within range, while the submarine-launched JL-3 missile can hit most of it from waters near China. On a submarine positioned farther out, more targets could be within striking distance.
Despite these continued advancements, questions remain on the differences in quality and capabilities of Chinese weapons and training compared to the US. The Pentagon also believes China is still navigating the impacts of a vast anti-corruption campaign in the military that has particularly targeted PLARF officials.
The campaign could be detrimental if driven by political agendas, or it could deliver long-term improvements if it addresses actual problems within the force. At this point, it's unclear how the changes will affect it.