The Dong Feng 4 () or DF-4 (also known as the CSS-3) is a first-generation two-stage
Chinese intercontinental ballistic missile
An intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) is a ballistic missile with a range (aeronautics), range greater than , primarily designed for nuclear weapons delivery (delivering one or more Thermonuclear weapon, thermonuclear warheads). Conven ...
with liquid fuel (
Nitric acid
Nitric acid is an inorganic compound with the formula . It is a highly corrosive mineral acid. The compound is colorless, but samples tend to acquire a yellow cast over time due to decomposition into nitrogen oxide, oxides of nitrogen. Most com ...
/
Unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine
Unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine (abbreviated as UDMH; also known as 1,1-dimethylhydrazine, heptyl or Geptil) is a chemical compound with the formula H2NN(CH3)2 that is primarily used as a rocket propellant. At room temperature, UDMH is a colorle ...
). It was thought to be deployed in limited numbers in underground silos beginning in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The Dong Feng 4 has a takeoff thrust of 1,224.00 kN, a takeoff weight of 82000 kg, a diameter of 2.25 m, a length of 28.05 m and a fin span of 2.74 m. The range of the Dong Feng 4, which is equipped with a 2,190 kg
nuclear warhead
A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either fission (fission or atomic bomb) or a combination of fission and fusion reactions (thermonuclear weapon), producing a nuclear expl ...
with 3.3
Megaton yield, with a nominal range of 5,500 km. This gives it sufficient range to strike targets as far away as
Russia
Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...
, India, and American bases in the Pacific. The missile uses an
inertial guidance
An inertial navigation system (INS; also inertial guidance system, inertial instrument) is a navigation device that uses motion sensors (accelerometers), rotation sensors ( gyroscopes) and a computer to continuously calculate by dead reckoning ...
system, resulting in a large
CEP of 1,500 meters. As of 2017, 10–15 launchers are deployed.
History
The decision to develop the DF-4 was made in 1965 in response to the U.S. ballistic missile submarine patrols that began operating out of Guam. The missile's designer has been variously identified as
Ren Xinmin or
Tu Shou'e ��守锷 and it was produced at Factory 211 (Capital Astronautics Co.
��都航天机械公司 also known as Capital Machine Shop
��都机械厂.
In 1972 US intelligence estimated an IOC for this system as being expected in 1974 or 1975. Deployment actually began in 1975–76, but only four DF-4s were believed to be in place by 1984.
There were two versions of the missile developed, one version housed in caves or garages to be rolled out on launch and another silo based version.
The US DoD estimates that the missile will continue to serve as a regional deterrence instrument until they can be replaced by the
DF-31. This will be a significant capability gain for the
Second Artillery Corps. The DF-31A has a range of 11,700 kilometers (as opposed to just 7,000 for the DF-4) and is road- and rail-mobile, and thus more survivable than the silo-based DF-4.
Operators
* : The
People's Liberation Army Rocket Force
The People's Liberation Army Rocket Force, formerly the Second Artillery Corps, is the strategic missile, strategic and tactical missile force of the People's Republic of China. The PLARF is the 4th military branch, branch of the People's Li ...
is the only operator of the Dong-Feng 4.
References
External links
AstronautixDongFeng 4 (CSS-3) Intermediate-Range Ballistic Missile - SinoDefence.com*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Df-4
Intercontinental ballistic missiles of the People's Republic of China
Nuclear missiles of the People's Republic of China
Cold War weapons of China
Military equipment introduced in the 1970s