China Ballistic Missiles and Nuclear Arms Thread

[Broccoli]

I though the DF-31 warhead was fully tested by 1992. All tests after that were meant for future strategic (and possibly tactical) weapons? Also, why would a 90kt primary be too big? I am asking because if the DF-41 warheads only have yields of 90kt, these warhead would be highly insufficient in hitting cities that are relatively spread-out, like those of North America.

Primarys yield in modern warhead is usually between 15-30kt whats enough for secondary to go off.

Most common nuclear weapon in US arsenal is 100kt W76. Before that it was 50kt W68! Both are very compact weapons.

British use their own W76 variant.

Frances latest TNO is 100kt... their older warhead had 150kt yield.

Bulava uses 100-150kt warheads.


90kt is more than sufficient especially if you hit biggest cities with multiple weapons and back in the day some people thought that light weight pure fission weapons would make a comeback as warhead delivery accuracy begun dropping into two digit numbers.

 

[sferrin]

Primarys yield in modern warhead is usually between 15-30kt whats enough for secondary to go off.

Most common nuclear weapon in US arsenal is 100kt W76. Before that it was 50kt W68! Both are very compact weapons.

British use their own W76 variant.

Frances latest TNO is 100kt... their older warhead had 150kt yield.

Bulava uses 100-150kt warheads.


90kt is more than sufficient especially if you hit biggest cities with multiple weapons and back in the day some people thought that light weight pure fission weapons would make a comeback as warhead delivery accuracy begun dropping into two digit numbers.

Even smaller "micro nukes" were considered for taking out Typhoon and Oscar subs. Sub-kiloton on a torpedo.

 

[KYli]

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[bustead]

Late for the party.

China's final test series before ceasing testing included 5x90kt detonations what many have thought to have been full yield tests of compact warhead for future missiles and some others claim those were DF-31 primary tests. Everything i've read makes me believe first option is factual because 90kt yield for primary is too big (usually it's around 10-30kt), but if latter option was true it would mean DF-31 warheads primary has almost same yield as whole W76 explosive power... that would be very uncommon.

I have a theory. Those tests did involve 575 warheads. However, instead of a HEU temper, a DU temper is used to save cost. DU is fissionable so it will still be detonated by the primary. However, unlike a fissile HEU temper, the yield will be lower than expected. So this is actually a "full-scale" test, not just a primary test.

 

[siegecrossbow]

 

[clockwork]

View attachment 86632

View attachment 86633

More context would be nice...

批产of what

 

[Michaelsinodef]

More context would be nice...

批产of what

The upper picture talks about the 火箭院 which is the rocket institution? so the 批产 (mass production) is likely referring to missiles?

But yea, would help if @siegecrossbow could give some more details (also where the 2 pictures are from).

 

[ACuriousPLAFan]

Does China have ship-based anti-ballistic missiles (ABMs) that can be launched from Type 052Ds and Type 055s to intercept incoming US ICBMs, such as the SM-3s and SM-6s on USN and JMSDF destroyers?

 

[Annihilation98]

China final nuclear test mostly from 1994- 1996 when they actually used Insensitive high explosive(IHE). IHE is very important to miniaturize primary for warhead. But According to Dr Jeffrey Lewis report below, China warhead still larger and heavier than other P5 memberwhich are Us, Russia, France, and Uk. China probably rank the last among P5 member. Even Israel nuclear warhead probably more advance than China since they get technical assistance from US. So, China warhead design at rank 6 among the nuclear armed state. China need more nuclear test to build more lighter warhead.

Nuclear warhead design Ranking ( More advanced)

USA=UK > France= Russia= Israel > China > India = Pakistan = North Korea

 

[tokenanalyst]

China final nuclear test mostly from 1994- 1996 when they actually used Insensitive high explosive(IHE). IHE is very important to miniaturize primary for warhead. But According to Dr Jeffrey Lewis report below, China warhead still larger and heavier than other P5 memberwhich are Us, Russia, France, and Uk. China probably rank the last among P5 member. Even Israel nuclear warhead probably more advance than China since they get technical assistance from US. So, China warhead design at rank 6 among the nuclear armed state. China need more nuclear test to build more lighter warhead.

Nuclear warhead design Ranking ( More advanced)

USA=UK > France= Russia= Israel > China > India = Pakistan = North Korea

How they know that? China is very secretive about their nuclear program. They could have surpassed the U.S in warhead technology and nobody will know it.