DF-16 - Dongfeng 16
Road-mobile short-range ballistic missile - China
Description
The DF-16 is a mobile short medium-range ballistic missile of the Chinese-made Dongfeng (DF) missile family. The Df-16 was unveiled for the first time during the military in Beijing, on September 3, 2015. The DF-16 began development in the mid-2000s when it was initially identified as the DF-11C, a two-stage variant of the DF-11. The DF-16 is an improvement of the old DF-11 and DF-15. China has deployed over 1,000 of the two older missiles, which have ranges of about 500km-700km and a CEP (circular error probable) of 30 meters, According to the Project 2019 Institute, a think tank, the DF-16 is currently deployed to a Second Artillery regiment in Guangdong Province, a suitable location for targeting either Taiwan or Vietnam. A Taiwan official announced on March 16, 2011, that Taiwan believed China had begun deploying the missiles. The DF-16 represents an increased threat to Taiwan because it is more difficult for anti-ballistic missile systems, such as the MIM-104 Patriot PAC-3, to intercept.
DF-16 ballistic missile variants:
- No variants at this time.
Technical Data
| Missile Launch Unit |
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The DF-16 missile is carried on a ten-wheeled Sanjiang TEL (Transporter Erector Launcher) similar to the one used for the new DF-21C MRBM (Medium Range Ballistic Missile). The missile is carried over the top of the vehicle and the missile is raised to the vertical position at the back of the TEL before launch. With the TEL, the crew can fire the missile and then relocate the vehicle away from potential hunting aircraft or enemy missiles. To provide a more stable firing platform, two hydraulic circular-based jacks are lowered to the ground at the rear of the truck chassis. The DF-16 TEL is also equipped with laser countermeasures mounted on the roof crew cab.
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| Missile |
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The DF-16 is a mobile-launched, two-stage, solid-fuel ballistic missile that has a maximum range from 800 to 1,000 km. The second stage has maneuvering fins at the base of the second (upper) stage allowing the DF-16 to make flight corrections to hit targets more accurately. The DF-16 can carry one to three warheads with conventional high explosives, nuclear warheads, or cluster munitions of 500 to 1,000 kg. The warhead assembly also provides the option of Multiple Independently Targeted Re-entry Vehicles (MIRV). According to Internet sources, the DF-16 missile is guided thanks to an Inertial Navigation System (INS) coupled with a GPS (Global Positioning System) mid-course guidance, as well as a terminal guidance system offering a circular error probable (CEP) of 5—10 m.
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| Mobility |
| The DF-16 missile is carried on a five-axle Sanjiang Corporation TEL (Transporter Erector Launcher). The truck is fitted at the front with a double-cab with two doors on each side and a powerpack. The 8x8 wheeled arrangement utilized ten large road wheels across five axles, the set divided by a central crew compartment resulting in two forward axles and three rear. |
| Combat Use |
| The DF-16 is one of China’s most accurate missiles, with enough accuracy to hit slowly moving targets. The DF-16 and DF-21 ballistic missiles are believed to be stationed at the same base and can cover all targets within Japan and the Pacific first island chain stretching from the Kuril islands just south of the Kamchatka peninsula in Russia all the way to Borneo and the Malay peninsula. A medium-range ballistic missile is defined by having a maximum range of between 1,000 and 3,000 km. A ballistic missile is a missile (rocket) that follows a ballistic trajectory with the objective of delivering one or more warheads to a predetermined target. |
Specifications
| Type | Armament |
| Short / Medium-range ballistic missile | One missile |
| Country users | Range missile |
| China | 800 to 1,000 km maximum |
| Warhead missile | Guidance system missile |
| One/two/three MIRVs HE or nuclear 500 to 1,000 kg | Inertial Navigation System, Global Positioning System and terminal guidance system |
| Propulsion missile | Radar and Command Station |
| Two solid propellant motors | Command and control vehicle |
| Crew | Dimensions |
| 3 | Length: 7.8m ; Diameter: 1.2 m |
Details View
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Pictures - Video
