China reveals upgraded DF-26 missile, new DF-17 configuration

The baseline DF-26 missile seen at a military parade in Beijing in 2015. (Andy Wong/Pool/Getty Images)

China has revealed a previously unseen ballistic missile system that appears to be an upgraded Dong Feng (DF)-26 intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM)

Footage aired by state-owned China Central Television (CCTV) on 20 June showed the missile fitted with control fins near the warhead. The fins may be intended to enable terminal manoeuvres by adjusting the flight path in both horizontal and vertical planes, improving the ability to engage mobile targets and penetrate missile-defence systems.

CCTV did not disclose missile specifications. The baseline DF-26 is a road-mobile IRBM with conventional and nuclear payload options and a range of about 4,000 km.

The CCTV footage also included the first known televised launch of a missile resembling the in-service DF-17, featuring a previously unseen bicone-shaped configuration mounted on a DF-17-type transporter-erector-launcher (TEL).

The DF-17 is a road-mobile medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM) equipped with a hypersonic glide vehicle. It has been in service with the People's Liberation Army Rocket Force (PLARF) since 2020 and has an estimated range of around 1,800 km. It is believed to be capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear payloads.

The systems were shown during a joint exercise involving the PLARF, PLA Ground Force, and PLA Air Force in the northwestern Gobi Desert. CCTV reported that the drill featured the PLARF's latest missile systems, offering improved automation, mobility, precision, and defence-penetration capabilities.

During the exercise, missile units conducted simulated strikes in a complex battlefield environment and assessed their ability to adapt to changing mission requirements, CCTV reported. It added that the systems are being configured to reduce reliance on fixed launch sites and enable flexible deployment.