{"id":3470,"date":"2015-12-19T09:12:09","date_gmt":"2015-12-19T09:12:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/box5917.temp.domains\/~iriacom\/\/news\/?p=3470"},"modified":"2016-02-13T20:32:01","modified_gmt":"2016-02-13T20:32:01","slug":"chinas-new-carrier-killer-missile-is-alarming-for-west","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/chinas-new-carrier-killer-missile-is-alarming-for-west\/","title":{"rendered":"China’s new ‘Carrier-Killer’ missile is alarming for West"},"content":{"rendered":"

China’s new ‘carrier-killer’ DF-26 missile is capable of going nuclear and more mobile, with the intent of becoming a deterrent against<\/strong> conflict in the South China Sea.<\/strong><\/p>\n

BEIJING (China) –\u00a0China’s new DF-26 anti-ship ballistic missile, unveiled in\u00a0September, has the capability to\u00a0arm a nuclear warhead against\u00a0an aircraft carrier, according to findings<\/a><\/span> by\u00a0researcher Andrew Erickson in\u00a0the Chinese-language China Youth Daily newspaper.<\/p>\n

Unlike its predecessor, the shorter-range DF-21D, the new missile allows for\u00a0nuclear warheads to\u00a0be mounted on\u00a0it, which lets China use its limited nuclear potential against\u00a0both strategic and tactical targets. The missile aims to\u00a0change the power balance in\u00a0the South China Sea, according to\u00a0the newspaper.<\/p>\n

The DF-21D anti-ship ballistic missile (ASBM) is said to be world’s first operational anti-ship ballistic missile<\/span><\/a> (ASBM). The DF-21 has also been developed into a space-capable anti-satellite weapon\/anti-missile weapon carrier.<\/p>\n

The DF-26 intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) was unveiled during the 3 September military parade in China. Besides conducting “nuclear counterattack” missions, the DF-26 could also attack “medium-size ships at sea” as part of “conventional long-range precision strike”.<\/p>\n

But DF-26’s “that ‘change the warhead, not the missile<\/a><\/span>‘ feature provides a rapid switch between\u00a0nuclear and conventional,” the Chinese article said.<\/p>\n

With estimated range of 3,000-4,000 km, DF-26 anti-ship ballistic missile, is often termed as the one of the weapons that can target US Navy formations in the “Second Island Chain” or out to Guam.<\/p>\n

But why China went on to developed the Dongfeng-26 when Dongfeng-21D has already been dubbed the \u201ccarrier killer\u201d?<\/p>\n

The article, written by Wang Changqin and Fang Guangming, which explains the answer can be found here but here<\/a><\/span> are but below are some of the reasons described in the article<\/a><\/span>:<\/p>\n