A brigade affiliated with the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) 71st Group Army holds live-fire shooting exercise in the Gobi Desert in northwestern China in 2023. Two projectiles, identified by analysts as a type of tactical missile, are fired in the drills. Photo: Screenshot from the Weibo account of the PLA 71st Group Army

The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Army is believed to have commissioned a type of tactical ballistic missile, which made its public debut during a recent exercise, according to observers.

In the undated exercise, the 71st Group Army of the PLA Army fired live munitions in the Gobi Desert in northwestern China, the army group said via its official Sina Weibo account on Friday. 

According to photos attached to the post, the PLA Amy's latest long-range modularized rocket launcher system that made its first public appearance at the national day military parade on October 1, 2019 was part of the exercise.

While some photos show the live-fire shooting of rockets, one of the photos show the firing of two projectiles that are clearly larger and thicker than rockets, with observers commenting that these projectiles are likely not rockets, but tactical ballistic missiles.

It is likely that the PLA Army's modularized rocket launcher system can launch tactical ballistic missiles, because an export version of this rocket launcher system, the AR-3, has the capability, a military expert who requested anonymity told the Global Times on Sunday.

China has exhibited the AR-3 multiple rocket launcher system at various domestic and overseas defense expos.

Thanks to the modularized design, the AR-3 can switch munitions it fires, including 300mm and 370mm rockets and 750mm tactical ballistic missiles, state-owned China North Industries Group Corp (NORINCO), the developer of the weapon, revealed at the defense expos.

The Sina Weibo post by the 71st Group Army did not elaborate on the munitions featured in the exercise, and there is currently no other official announcement on the commissioning of the tactical ballistic missile into the PLA Army.

If the PLA Army indeed commissioned tactical ballistic missiles, it would significantly increase its long-range precision strike capabilities, as such missiles are more powerful and reach longer ranges than guided rockets, the expert said, noting that it would also greatly increase the PLA Army's deterrence.

In the joint military exercise that encircled the island of Taiwan after then-US House speaker Nancy Pelosi provocatively visited the island in August 2022, the PLA Army deployed the long-range modularized rocket launcher system and fired rockets across the Taiwan Straits. Ballistic missiles were fired over the island, but by the PLA Rocket Force, not the PLA Army.