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Title: DF-ZF
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URL Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DF-ZF
Published: Aug 6, 2022
Author: Horse
Post Date: 2022-08-06 23:12:15 by Horse
Keywords: None
Views: 46
DF-17 carrying a DF-ZF during the 70th Anniversary of the People's Republic of China. The DF-ZF is a Chinese hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV), previously denoted by the Pentagon as WU-14 and currently officially operational on October 1st, 2019, in the 70th anniversary of the People's Republic of China. The DF-ZF is designed to be mounted on a DF-17, a type of ballistic missile specifically designed to carry HGVs. Testing The DF-ZF, designated by Pentagon as the WU-14, is a hypersonic missile delivery vehicle that has been flight-tested by China seven times, on 9 January, 7 August and 2 December 2014; 7 June and 27 November 2015; in April 2016 and twice in November 2017. The system is operational as of 2019. The Chinese Defense Ministry confirmed its January 2014 test and said the test was "scientific" in nature, although it was widely viewed as part of a broader Chinese military build-up. All seven tests China performed so far were concluded successfully according to U.S. officials cited in The Washington Free Beacon.[11][12] All the test launches were performed at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in Shanxi Province, the main long-range missile testing center for the People's Liberation Army. Capabilities and design The DF-ZF is thought to reach speeds between Mach 5 (3,836 mph (6,173 km/h; 1,715 m/s)) and Mach 10 (7,680 mph (12,360 km/h; 3,430 m/s)).[8] The glider could be used for nuclear weapons delivery but could also be used to perform precision-strike conventional missions (for example, next-generation anti-ship ballistic missiles), which could penetrate "the layered air defenses of a U.S. carrier strike group."[1][8] Hypersonic glider vehicles are less susceptible to anti-ballistic missile countermeasures than conventional reentry vehicles (RVs). Normal RVs descend through the atmosphere on a predictable ballistic trajectory—a hypersonic glider like the HGV can pull-up after reentering the atmosphere and approach its target in a relatively flat glide, lessening the time it can be detected, fired at, or reengaged if an initial attack fails. Gliding makes it more maneuverable and extends its range. Although gliding creates more drag, it flies further than it would on a higher trajectory through space, and is too low to be intercepted by exo-atmospheric kill vehicles. The tradeoff is that warheads have less speed and altitude as they near the target, making them vulnerable to lower-tier interceptors, such as the Mach 17 Russian 53T6, ABM-3 Gazelle. Other potential counter-hypersonic interception measures may involve laser or railgun technologies, but such technologies are not currently available. A vehicle like the DF-ZF could be fitted to various Chinese ballistic missiles, such as the DF-21 medium-range missile (extending range from 2,000 to 3,000 km (1,200 to 1,900 mi)), and the DF-31 intercontinental ballistic missiles (extending range from 8,000 to 12,000 km (5,000 to 7,500 mi)). Analysts suspect that the DF-ZF will first be used in shorter-range roles as an anti-ship missile and for other tactical purposes to address the problem of hitting a moving target with a ballistic missile. Long-term goals may include deterrence of U.S. missile capabilities with the prospect of strategic bombardment against the United States, or other countries. Since conventional interceptor missiles have difficulty against maneuvering targets traveling faster than Mach 5 (the DF-ZF reenters the atmosphere at Mach 10), a problem exacerbated by decreased detection times, the United States may place more importance on developing directed-energy weapons as a countermeasure. However, after decades of research and development, directed-energy weapons are still very much at the experimental stage and it remains to be seen if or when they will be deployed as practical, high-performance military weapons. Complaints have been raised by one researcher over lack of access to high-performance computing power, required for development of the HGV. While China has a number of high performance supercomputers, access to them was not provided for the DF-ZF development project. China Tests MLRS 'PCL-191' and 'PHL 03', Rocket Launch Systems Allegedly Similar to US HIMARS https://www.international-military.com/2022/07/china-tests-mlrs-pcl-191-and-phl-03.html China Tests MLRS 'PCL-191' and 'PHL 03', Rocket Launch Systems Allegedly Similar to US HIMARS China Tests MLRS 'PCL-191' and 'PHL 03' Allegedly Similar to US HIMARS Beijing - China tested a rocket system similar to HIMARS. It was revealed by state television broadcaster CCTV recently that the Chinese military has been testing the precision strike capacity of its new MLRS in the highlands. Quoted from the Eurasian Times, the People's Liberation Army uses a PCL-191 MLRS that is placed on a truck. These components were used to strike targets several kilometers away at firing ranges in the deserts of western China, CCTV reported. According to military analysts, the latest demonstration of the MLRS is meant to demonstrate the PLA's firepower and combat readiness. This is then done to deal with potential border emergencies. This latest test is also significant due to the increased range of the Chinese MLRS which can strike Indian military assets near the disputed border. The system can also carry two 750 mm Fire Dragon 480 tactical ballistic missiles, each with a range of up to 500 km. This is also the case when it carries eight 370 mm (1412 inches) rockets, each with a range of 350 km (220 miles). According to Zhou Chenming, a researcher with the Yuan Wang military science and technology think tank in Beijing, the range of the rocket launch system has been increased to 500 km. The PCL191 is more capable when deployed at high altitudes with its maximum range being extended several times. In addition, China also has the PHL 03. Quoted from Military Today, the PHL 03, also referred to as the Type 03, is the Chinese version of the Chinese version of the Soviet BM-30 Smerch rocket system. The primary role of this artillery rocket system is to strike long-range strategic targets. These include airfields, command centers, support facilities, air defense batteries, large troop concentrations, and so on. The PHL 03 retains the original Russian configuration with 12 launch tubes for 300 mm artillery rockets. A standard rocket weighs about 800 kg and has a warhead of 280 kg. The maximum firing range is 70-130 km depending on the type of warhead. Both PCL 191 and PHL 03 have almost the same function, which is to launch surface-to-surface rockets. Poster Comment: Russia will be deploying a Mach 10 cruise missile with a 600 mile range beginning next year. They currently are selling Mach 3 cruise missiles made with India for the export market. That would be the BrahMos. They plan to upgrade their export model BrahMos to a Mach 7 version. This means the US will no longer be able to attack third rate military forces with gunboat or nowadays aircraft carrier diplomacy.
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