DF-21D what is it? China’s anti-ship ballistic missile “Carrier Killer”
Technical Specifications
| Feature | Value |
|---|---|
| Type | Anti-Ship Ballistic Missile (ASBM) |
| Manufacturer | CASIC |
| NATO Code | CSS-5 Mod-4 |
| Previous Variants | DF-21A/B/C ground target |
| Weight | ≈14,700 kg |
| Length | ≈10.7 m |
| Range | ≈1,500 km (DF-21D); 4,000+ km (DF-26 older brother) |
| Speed | Mach 10+ (terminal re-entry) |
| Warhead | Maneuverable Re-Entry Vehicle (MaRV) |
| Guidance | INS + BeiDou + terminal active radar/electro-optics |
| Launch | TEL — truck-mounted vertical launch |
| Target Search | Active seeker during atmospheric re-entry |
| Service | 2010+ (DF-21D in combat service) |
| Nickname | Carrier Killer / Hangmu Shashou |
| Family | DF-21 (MRBM, various ground), DF-26 (IRBM), DF-17 (HGV) |
Impact on U.S. Strategy in the Pacific
- The U.S. keeps carrier groups further away from Taiwan
- The U.S. is shifting to distributed maritime operations
- For smaller platforms long-range weapons
- Investments in defense SM-3 / SM-6 have increased
- The U.S. Navy is focusing on unmanned platforms
- Hypersonic counter-strike weapons have accelerated
- Turkish equivalent: ATMACA local anti-ship missile (sea launch)
