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PLARF likely taking delivery of DF-26 launchers

By Christopher Biggers |

Umbra imagery shows DF-26 IRBM TELs at the Beijing Xinghang Electromechanical Equipment Factory. (SAR data © 2024 Umbra Lab, Inc. (Licensed under CC BY 4.0)/© 2025 Janes)

Umbra synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery acquired at 2206L on 14 December 2024 shows 26 probable DF-26 intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) transporter-erector-launchers (TELs) remaining at the Beijing Xinghang Electromechanical Equipment Factory staging area.

The declining TEL numbers and the lack of activity at the factory's other assembly locations suggest that the People's Liberation Army Rocket Force (PLARF) has likely taken delivery of the launchers since September 2024 when Umbra SAR showed 59 TELs parked in the area.

The US Department of Defense (DoD)'s 2024 China Military Power Report , which was published in December covering developments to early 2024, reiterated that the PLA continues to increase its DF-26 inventory and phase out DF-21 equipment, and has stopped fielding dedicated brigades of the DF-21Cs.

The Pentagon also maintained the same DF-26 launcher numbers as the 2023 report at 250. This supports Janes assessment that the DoD's estimate reflects launchers likely to be assigned to the seven identified DF-26 brigades, which at full strength are likely to be 36 TELs per brigade. It also suggests that additional DF-26 launchers assembled in 2023–24 will bring existing brigades to full strength.

A clear indicator of climbing brigade numbers has been identified with the DF-26-equipped 611 Brigade (MUCD 96711), 61 Base, at Chizhou. After Chinese President Xi Jinping inspected the brigade's 25 TELs in October 2024, Janes acquired Umbra high-resolution SAR of the brigade's facility confirming additional construction activity.

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