The Dong Feng-26 (DF-26) is a Chinese intermediate-range ballistic missile, likely a longer-ranged version of China’s DF-21 MRBM. It is considered China’s first conventionally-armed ballistic missile capable of striking Guam.¹ It has a range of 3,000-4,000 km, capable of ranging most U.S. military bases in the eastern Pacific Ocean.² The missile can be armed with a conventional or nuclear warhead, and an antiship variant may also be in development.³

DF-26 Development

Designed by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), the DF-26 IRBM was first publicly unveiled during a September 2015 military parade in Beijing.⁴ At the event, China displayed 16 missiles on road-mobile transporter-erector launchers (TELs) marked “DF-26,” in Latin letters.^{5 6} Official commentary during the parade described the missile as possessing both nuclear and conventional capabilities, a claim corroborated by U.S. Department of Defense assessments. ⁷ It may also be capable of striking naval targets at sea in addition to its land-attack role.⁸ However, the PLA has not publicly reported a successful test of the ASBM variant against a moving target at sea.⁹

2017 Missile Test

On May 9, 2017, the Information Bureau of China’s Ministry of National Defense (MND) released a press statement acknowledging that the PLA Rocket Force conducted an operational test of a new missile in the Bohai Sea, and attained “expected results.”¹⁰ While the missile type remains unconfirmed, several Chinese military analysts speculate that it was likely some variant (possibly antiship) of the DF-26.¹¹ According to one Hong Kong-based military analyst, the missile was likely launched from a northwestern province, probably from either Xinjiang or Gansu province.¹² Other analysis, however, suggest that the missile tested could have been China’s newer JL-3 SLBM.

DF-26 Specifications

The DF-26 is a road-mobile, two-stage solid-fueled IRBM with an antiship variant possibly also in development.¹³ According to Chinese sources, the missile measures 14 m in length, 1.4 m in diameter, and has a launch weight of 20,000 kg.¹⁴ The missile has a range of 3,000-4,000 km, putting major U.S. military facilities, including those in Guam, within striking distance. The DF-26 comes with a “modular design,” meaning that the launch vehicle can accommodate two types of nuclear warheads and several types of conventional warheads.¹⁵ The accuracy of the DF-26 is uncertain, with speculators estimating the CEP at intermediate range between 150-450 meters.¹⁶

The DF-26 is transported and fired from a Chinese-built HTF5680 12X12 Transporter Erector Launcher.

DF-26 Service History

One brigade of at least 16 dual-capable DF-16 missiles is currently deployed with the PLARF in China.¹⁷ The brigade is stationed at Base 54 near Luoyang in Henan province.¹⁸ Twelve DF-26 TELs have also been deployed at a PLARF training range just north of Alxa in China’s Inner Mongolia region.¹⁹