Rocket Force

Rocket Force
Unit name	Rocket Force
Dates	1966–present
Country	People's Republic of China
Branch	People's Liberation Army
Type	Strategic and tactical missile force
Role	Strategic deterrence, nuclear counterattack, conventional precision strikes
Command structure	Central Military Commission
Garrison	Beijing
Garrison label	Headquarters
Equipment	ICBMs, IRBMs, MRBMs, cruise missiles

Rocket Force. The Rocket Force is a separate branch of the People's Liberation Army responsible for China's land-based nuclear and conventional missile arsenal. It operates under the direct command of the Central Military Commission and serves as a cornerstone of the nation's strategic deterrence posture. The force manages a diverse inventory of ballistic and cruise missiles capable of regional and intercontinental strikes.

History

The origins trace back to the establishment of the Second Artillery Corps in 1966, following the success of China's first atomic bomb test at Lop Nur and the development of the Dongfeng 1 missile. Early development was heavily influenced by technology transfers from the Soviet Union and scientists like Qian Xuesen. The corps remained a largely secretive strategic asset throughout the Cold War, with its capabilities growing through programs like the DF-5 ICBM. It was formally elevated to a full military service branch and renamed in 2015, a move announced by President Xi Jinping during a major military reorganization aimed at enhancing joint operations. This change reflected its elevated status alongside the Ground Force, Navy, and Air Force.

Organization

The force is headquartered in Beijing and reports directly to the Central Military Commission. Its structure is divided into missile bases, brigades, and technical support units spread across China, often in remote and hardened locations. Key bases include those with jurisdiction over regions like the Tibet Autonomous Region and Xinjiang. The organization includes dedicated units for missile launch, engineering, communications, logistics, and cyber warfare support. Command and control is centralized, with strict protocols for launch authority flowing through the national command authority in Beijing.

Equipment

The arsenal comprises a modernizing triad of nuclear and conventional precision-strike systems. Land-based nuclear deterrence relies on intercontinental ballistic missiles like the silo-based DF-5 and the newer road-mobile DF-41 and DF-31. Regional strike capabilities are provided by systems such as the DF-21 and DF-26, the latter termed a "carrier-killer" by analysts. For conventional missions, the force deploys the DF-17 hypersonic glide vehicle and a family of land-attack cruise missiles like the CJ-10. These systems are supported by a vast network of transporter erector launchers, command vehicles, and increasingly sophisticated reconnaissance satellite networks for targeting.

Role and missions

Its primary role is strategic deterrence, maintaining a credible nuclear counterattack capability as articulated in China's "no first use" policy. A core mission is conducting medium and long-range precision strikes with conventional missiles against key adversary assets, such as airbases, naval formations, and logistics hubs, a concept central to modern Anti-Access/Area Denial strategies. The force also provides strategic support to other services by suppressing enemy air defenses and shaping the battlespace at the outset of a conflict. It plays a critical role in safeguarding national sovereignty, as referenced in contexts involving Taiwan and the South China Sea.

Training and readiness

Training emphasizes high-alert operations, rapid dispersal, and survivability under simulated hostile conditions, including electronic warfare environments. Exercises are frequently held in complex terrains like the Gobi Desert and the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Readiness drills involve long-distance road marches, camouflage, and rapid launch sequences from prepared and unprepared positions. Personnel undergo rigorous technical education at institutions like the Rocket Force University of Engineering and political education to ensure absolute loyalty, reflecting the force's direct link to the Central Military Commission.

International comparisons

In terms of missile inventory size and diversity, it is frequently compared to the strategic forces of the United States and Russia, specifically the United States Strategic Command and the Russian Strategic Rocket Forces. While the total number of nuclear warheads is smaller than those held by the U.S. or Russia, its conventional ballistic missile arsenal is considered the world's largest and most advanced. Its development pace and testing frequency, particularly in hypersonic technology as demonstrated by the DF-ZF, are closely monitored by agencies like the Pentagon and NATO.

Category:Military of China Category:Strategic missile forces