China showcases its DF-5B MIRV ICBMs in military parade

By chankaiyee2 on September 5, 2015 • ( 3 )

China DF-5B Missile Front

The following is based on a translation of a report on a Chinese news site:

Mil.huanqiu.com says in its report that when the DF-5B missile appeared on the TV screen in China’s military parade on Thursday, the TV host said that it was an MIRV ICBM.

MIRV stands for multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicle.

In fact, China showcased its DF-5 ICBM for the first time in 1984.

The report says there has been great improvement in its new version DF-5B since then.

As the DF-5B is big in volume, it has to be carried by two vehicles.

The DF-5 is China’s first generation of strategic missile with a range exceeding 10,000 km and a warhead equivalent to a few million tons of TNT.

China’s CZ-2, CZ-3 and CZ-4 carrier rockets are all derived from the DF-5 ICBM.

The report concludes that, according to British Janes Missiles and Rockets, the DF-5 missile is 32.6 meters long and 3.35 meters in diameter and weighs 183 tons.

It is installed in a bunker with a range between 12,000 and 15,000 km and carries one 3,000 km warhead equivalent to 3 to 4 million tons of TNT.

It can also carry 4 to 6 MIRV warheads with an accuracy of 500-2000 meters.

Contributed by “Tiananmen’s Tremendous Achievements” – Author of “Tiananmen’s Tremendous Achievements” and “Space Era Strategy” – Also English/Chinese translation service