What is DF-21D? A Chinese 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 Versions | 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 Big Brother) |
| Speed | Mach 10+ (Final Re-entry) |
| Warhead | Maneuverable Re-entry Vehicle (MaRV) |
| Guidance | INS + BeiDou + Active/Terminal Electro-Optical Radar |
| Launch | TEL — Vertical Launch Mounted on Truck |
| Target Acquisition | Active seeker during atmospheric re-entry |
| Service | 2010+ (DF-21D in service) |
| Nickname | Carrier Killer / Hangmu Shashou |
| Family | DF-21 (MRBM, Various Ground Targets), DF-26 (IRBM), DF-17 (HGV) |
Impact on U.S. Pacific Strategy
- The United States maintains a Carrier Strike Group far from the shores of Taiwan
- The U.S. transition to Distributed Maritime Operations
- Long-range weapons on smaller platforms
- Increased investment in SM-3 / SM-6 defense
- The U.S. Navy is moving towards unmanned platforms
- Acceleration of Hypersonic Counter-Strike Weapons
- Turkish counterpart: ATMACA locally produced anti-ship (Naval launch)
