DF-16 Launch My Military Photos via Photobucket
The DF-16 is one of China's most accurate missiles, with enough
accuracy to hit slowly moving targets. But it'll be a while until the
DF-16 replaces all 1,000 of the older DF-11 and DF-15.
DF-16 Weibo A DF-16
TEL vehicle travels on the highway (like most other countries, Chinese
military vehicles regularly use highways alongside civilian traffic),
likely to the parade preparation ground to rehearse for the 70th
anniversary of VJ Day in Beijing.
By Jeffrey Lin and P.W. Singer. | Popular Science.
Internet buzz suggests that the DF-16 missile will make a public
debut at the August 2015 Victory Day parade in Beijing on the 70th
anniversary of World War II's end, as suggested by this photo of the
missile being transported to northern China.
China is quickly upgrading its formidable missile forces to match
advances in defense technologies. While existing Chinese forces make use
of anti-air and ballistic to deny access around large portions of
airspace, ocean and land bordering China, newer missiles will be more
effective against elements of America's Air Sea Battle concept, like
stealthy drones, and mobile enemy targets like anti-ship missile
launchers.
DF-16 Launcher 飞扬军事 中国军迷原创第一站 - via sinodefence.com
The DF-16 began development in the mid 2000s, where it was initially
identified as the DF-11C, a two stage variant of the DF-11. The second
stage has manuevering fins at the base of the second (upper) stage
allows the DF-16 to make flight corrections to hit targets more
accurately.
The DF-16 short ranged ballistic missile (SRBM) is an improvement over
the DF-11 and DF-15 SRBMs fielded by the PLA and Second Artillery.
Currently, China has deployed over 1,000 of the two older missiles,
which have ranges of about 500km-700km and an accuracy of about 30
meters, opposite of Taiwan. 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.
DF-16 TEL Chinese Internet
To accommodate the larger two stage DF-16 missile, the TEL vehicle has
ten wheels instead of the DF-11's eight wheels. With cross country
capability, the DF-16's TEL vehicle could go off road to dodge enemy
aircraft, and launch the solid fueled DF-16 in under a minute.
The DF-16 is larger, as evidenced by its use of a five axis transport
erector launch (TEL) vehicle, versus the older missile's four axle TEL.
With an estimated range of around 1,000km and a 5-10 meter accuracy, the
DF-16 also flies higher and faster, making it more difficult for
missile defense systems to intercept it. The DF-16's high accuracy,
rapid flight time and its large 500kg-1000kg warhead would allow it to
target moving enemy targets, such as ships, missile TEL vehicles and
leadership convoys.