PLA Rocket Force Thread

February 8, 00:46

WSJ: China surpasses US in number of ICBM launchers




China is rapidly approaching nuclear parity, Congressman Mike Rogers says.

NEW YORK, 8 February. /TASS/. The PRC has more launchers for land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) than the United States. This was reported by The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday, citing data from the Strategic Command (STRATCOM) of the US Armed Forces.

"The number of launchers for silo-based intercontinental ballistic missiles and mobile ICBM launchers in China exceeds the number of launchers for ICBMs in the United States," the publication quotes an excerpt from a letter from the head of STRATCOM to the armed services committees of both houses of the US Congress. Currently, this military department is headed by Air Force General Anthony Cotton.

At the same time, the US military assured members of Congress that the US surpasses China in the number of land-based ICBMs, in addition, these missiles are equipped with a large number of nuclear warheads. Also, the data provided by the military department did not take into account submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs), as well as long-range bombers. In these areas, the publication claims, the United States has a clear advantage over China.

According to the newspaper, some lawmakers are calling for an increase in the country's nuclear potential to confront China and Russia.

"China is rapidly approaching [nuclear] parity. We can't let that happen. It's time to change the balance of power and expand our capabilities," Congressman Mike Rogers (R-Alabama), chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, was quoted by the paper as saying. US Congress.

At the same time, The Wall Street Journal points out, arms control supporters believe that it is more profitable for the United States to maintain the Treaty on Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms (START) with Russia and start arms control talks with China.

About START


Last week, Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov said that Moscow has been impeccably observing START throughout the years, unlike Washington. The diplomat stressed that the responsibility for the escalation of the situation around the treaty lies entirely with the United States. He commented on a report prepared earlier by the US State Department, which claims that Russia allegedly did not comply with the terms of the START and can return to its full compliance by allowing inspections on its territory, and also agreeing to a meeting of the advisory commission.

The US and Russia signed the treaty in 2010. According to its terms, each of the parties reduces its strategic offensive weapons in such a way that seven years after the entry into force of the document and thereafter, their total numbers will not exceed 700 deployed intercontinental ballistic missiles, ballistic missiles of submarines and heavy bombers, 1,550 warheads on them, 800 deployed and non-deployed launchers of ICBMs, SLBMs and HBs. The agreement, designed for 10 years, expired on February 5, 2021, however, the document provides for the possibility of extension by mutual agreement of the parties. In February 2021, Moscow and Washington extended the agreement for the maximum possible five years.

Explains their recent claims Russia is not complying with the New START treaty... How long before they rip that up too?

Couldn't happen soon enough, Russia has been hamstrung by that treaty like all the other bad deals they've signed with the duplicitous west over the last 30 years that are always secretly broken when they want to gain nuclear primacy over Russia, the best arms control Russia could have is superior A2/AD combined with 1000's of air/ground/sea launched, long ranged, nuclear tipped, hypersonic missiles to obliterate NATO if they decide to commit suicide-by-Russia.

No way China deployes over 450 ICBMs. Even 300 seems to high. Best gess is probably around 100-150 with a mix of old DF-5s and newer DF-31 and 41s.
They are building three new missile fields that could hold up to 300 missiles, but I doubt the missile production is going to fill all those silos for some years.

To Walle

What you "think" is not relevant at all, just like what I think is not relevant.
The only authoritative is the factual situation or approximately correct data.
Even the Washington Post writes that China has between 250 and 350 nuclear weapons.
It is not specified whether it is the total number of nuclear warheads, but it is stated that China has 145 silos under construction for future ICBMs. The text is from 2021.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwjn4Kj0vIv9AhW8AxAIHSroD9wQFnoECD0QAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonpost.com%2Fnational-security%2Fchina-nuclear-missile-silos%2F2021%2F06%2F30%2F0fa8debc-d9c2-11eb-bb9e-70fda8c37057_story.html&usg=AOvVaw0gDHytv3aJcR-5kEgIzl2K

Well most sources say that China has less then 400 warheads in total. So about 100 ICBMs should then be "approximately correct data".

If China would have 450 ICBM today it would mean they constructed over 400 missiles in the last 10-12 years. Also the DF-41, that is supose to be the new main missile system, just came in service a few years ago.

Some reports from russian and US official state that China is massively increasing its nuclear warhead number.

But I agree with him. If you have 400 nuk warhead you make just 400 missiles. Maybe a bit more as decoys but certainly not thousands of them.

02/11/2023 05:37 PM (updated: 02/11/2023 05:49 PM)

Media: China approved plans to triple its nuclear arsenal by 2035
Kyodo: China plans to increase its nuclear arsenal by 2035


AP Photo / Ng Han Guan

MOSCOW, February 11/ Radio Sputnik. China is considering tripling its nuclear warhead stockpile by 2035, Kyodo News reports.
According to the agency, the plan was approved by Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The decision of the country's authorities is associated with a possible increase in tension between China and the United States in connection with the situation around Taiwan, Kyodo sources suggested.

According to them, China can increase the number of nuclear warheads to 550 by 2027, and to 900 by 2035.
Earlier, Sputnik radio reported that China had warned the United States of a high price in the event of military aggression.

https://radiosputnik.ria.ru/20230211/yadernoe-oruzhie-1851431244.html

Significant development because China has tested the DF 41 to its full range, the first time they have tested an ICBM to its max range in 44 years. Perhaps new engines, sensors, decoys have been installed on thd DF 41. Plus the end of START Treaty.

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/09/25/asia-pacific/china-icbm-missile-pacific/

Sujoy wrote:Significant development because China has tested the DF 41 to its full range, the first time they have tested an ICBM to its max range in 44 years. Perhaps new engines, sensors, decoys have been installed on thd DF 41. Plus the end of START Treaty.

The US politicos seem to think they can nuke China without consequences. This is just a wake up call. The Chinese have had this capability to nuke the entire Continental US with road mobile ICBMs for like a decade and a half.

As for START it never applied to China. It was a bilateral treaty between the US and the Soviets.

China has test fired the DF 31AG and not the DF 41 as was speculated earlier. Nonetheless, significant development given that it was tested to its max range of over 12,000 kms.

The Chinese will never accept playing second fiddle to the US in terms of nuke count long term.

GarryB wrote:Britain and France are not in any economic situation where they could match China in nuclear weapons to create a balance

China and Pakistan are both major supporters of Britain. Pakistan has the world's second fastest growing nuclear arsenal after China and Pakistan hosts nukes on behalf of Britain.