China's strategic missiles realize mobile launch
As the high-tech unit of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA), the Second Artillery Corps (SAC) has fully completed the transition from "troops in the mountains" to "troops on the wheel" over the past 10 years. The wide use of solid fuel and vehicle-mounted missile launchers for both conventional and nuclear ballistic missiles has greatly improved the SAC's mobility, and thus increased its ability to deal with satellite reconnaissance.
Established on July 1, 1966, the SAC comprises the ground-to-ground strategic nuclear missile forces, conventional operational-tactical missile forces, and support units. Its mobility and strike range has increased steadily.
China's strategic missiles have grown from a single model to a big family of various short-range, medium-range, long-range, and intercontinental missiles. In addition, the wide use of solid fuel has made its conventional and nuclear ballistic missiles smaller and lighter.
At smaller sizes, China's missiles have become more powerful, more accurate, and faster. Missile forces are always a focus of other countries' satellite reconnaissance, and mobile launch is an effective way to deal with such reconnaissance and escape possible attacks.
The SAC, China's strategic missile forces, has greatly improved its precision strike capacity over the past decade. At present, all of its missiles can be launched by vehicle-mounted launchers, making it possible to conduct strikes in all terrains, all directions, and all weathers. The SAC's First Conventional Missile Brigade, which was established 19 years ago, has launched missiles more than 100 times, and never missed its targets. According to the PLA Pictorial, the First Conventional Missile Brigade using China's independently developed new-generation missiles comprehensively beat another brigade using one of the world’s most advanced air-defense missiles in a recent military drill simulating the interception of ballistic missiles by air-defense missiles. Last year, the SAC’s first all-female unit made its debut on a plateau, where 35 female artillerists launched missiles that all hit their targets.
