China has significantly expanded its ballistic missile capabilities over the past two decades, making the People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force (PLARF) one of the world’s largest and most sophisticated missile forces. The growing arsenal forms a key pillar of Beijing’s military modernisation strategy, enhancing its ability to project power across the Indo-Pacific and deter regional adversaries.
Designed to support contingencies such as a conflict over Taiwan, China’s missile inventory includes short-, medium- and intermediate-range ballistic missiles capable of striking military bases, naval forces, command centres and critical infrastructure with increasing precision.
According to the US Department of Defense, China also possesses around 600 boosted hypersonic weapons, including ballistic missiles equipped with hypersonic glide vehicles (HGVs) and air-launched ballistic missiles (ALBMs).
China’s Regional Ballistic Missile Categories
The Pentagon broadly classifies China’s regional ballistic missiles into three categories:
- Short-Range Ballistic Missiles (SRBMs): Up to 1,000 km, primarily intended for battlefield and nearby regional targets.
- Medium-Range Ballistic Missiles (MRBMs): Between 1,000 and 3,000 km, capable of striking military installations across much of the Indo-Pacific.
- Intermediate-Range Ballistic Missiles (IRBMs): Between 3,000 and 5,500 km, allowing China to target distant regional assets, including US military facilities on Guam.
Recent US assessments estimate that the PLARF operates approximately 200 SRBM launchers with around 1,000 missiles, 300 MRBM launchers supported by about 1,300 missiles, and 300 IRBM launchers equipped with roughly 550 DF-26-class missiles.
Key Missiles in China’s Arsenal
DF-11
The DF-11 (CSS-7) is one of China’s earliest road-mobile short-range ballistic missiles, with an estimated range of 300–600 km. It is designed for precision strikes against airfields, logistics hubs, command centres and military infrastructure, particularly in a Taiwan conflict scenario.
DF-15
The DF-15 (CSS-6) is an upgraded short-range ballistic missile with a range of 600–900 km. Improved guidance systems have enhanced its accuracy, enabling it to target runways, air defence systems, command centres and fortified military installations during the initial stages of a conflict.
DF-16
Representing the next generation of China’s short-range missiles, the DF-16 has an estimated range of 800–1,000 km. It carries a larger payload than earlier systems while offering greater accuracy and survivability.
DF-17
The DF-17 is the world’s first operational ballistic missile equipped with a hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV). With an estimated range of 1,800–2,500 km, it deploys a manoeuvrable glide vehicle that travels at hypersonic speeds, making interception considerably more difficult than conventional ballistic missiles.
DF-21
The DF-21 is a medium-range ballistic missile with an estimated range of 1,700 km and is available in multiple variants. Its most notable version, the DF-21D, is widely known as the world’s first operational anti-ship ballistic missile, earning the nickname “carrier killer.” Supported by satellites, drones and over-the-horizon radar systems, it is designed to target aircraft carriers and other high-value naval assets operating in the Western Pacific.
DF-26
The DF-26 is an intermediate-range ballistic missile capable of striking targets more than 3,000 km away. It can carry either conventional or nuclear warheads and also exists in an anti-ship variant. Its range places strategic US military facilities on Guam, regional bases and carrier strike groups within reach, making it one of China’s most strategically important missile systems.
DF-27
The DF-27 is China’s newest long-range ballistic missile, although Beijing has not officially released its specifications. Western defence assessments estimate its range at 5,000–8,000 km, positioning it between an intermediate-range and an intercontinental ballistic missile. The system is believed to further extend China’s ability to conduct long-range precision strikes.
JL-1 Air-Launched Ballistic Missile
The JL-1 is an air-launched ballistic missile (ALBM) carried by the H-6N strategic bomber. With an estimated range of 1,500–2,000 km, it is widely believed to be intended primarily for nuclear delivery, strengthening China’s airborne nuclear deterrent and providing greater operational flexibility than land-based missile systems.
Strategic Significance
China’s expanding missile inventory reflects its broader effort to strengthen regional deterrence and improve its ability to conduct precision strikes across the Indo-Pacific. The combination of conventional, nuclear-capable, anti-ship and hypersonic systems provides the PLA with a layered strike capability designed to threaten military bases, naval forces and critical infrastructure while complicating the defensive planning of regional rivals and the United States.
