DF-5 (CSS-4) Intercontinental Ballistic Missile
Last updated: 31 March 2008
The DF-5 (DongFeng-5, NATO reporting name: CSS-4) is the liquid-propellant, two-stage intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) designed and developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle (CALT, also known as 1st Space Academy) based in Beijing. The PLA currently deploys around 20~30 improved DF-5A missiles, which make up the the PRC's primary nuclear deterrent. The DF-5 was also developed into the FengBao 1 (FB-1) and ChangZheng 2 (CZ-2, or Long March 2) space launch vehicles (SLV) that formed the foundation of the PRC’s space programme.
The DF-5 is a two-stage rocket powered by a liquid bipropellant, with unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine (UDMH) as fuel and nitrogen tetroxide (N2H4) as an oxidiser. It carries a single 3,200kg three-megaton thermal nuclear warhead, and has a maximum range of 10,000~12,000km. The DF-5 is the first true ICBM of the PRC, capable of reaching the west part of the United States and most part of the Europe.
The DF-5 programme began in August 1965 under the leadership of Tu Shou’e, the then deputy chief of the 1st Space Academy. The first flight test of the missile carried out in October 1971 was only partially successful, and the second test in December 1972 failed due to design flaws. The project was then temporarily suspended, with the rest four missiles all modified into CZ-2 space launchers for the recoverable satellite (FSW) programme. The project was resumed in 1977, with five out of six flight tests being successful. The first full-range DF-5 test from the northwest Gobi Desert to the South Pacific was carried out in May 1980.
The first two DF-5s were delivered to the PLA in 1981, and the missile was certified for design finalisation in December 1986. Five missiles were produced in 1987~1989 for operational deployment.
The DF-5 has been produced by the 062 Base (also known as Sichuan Aerospace Industry Corporation, Sichuan Space Bureau, Sichuan Academy of Space Technology, or 7th Space Academy) based in Chengdu, Sichuan Province and the 211 Factory (also known as Capital Machinery Factory, Capital Astronautic Corporation, or Beijing Wanyuan Industry Corporation) of the CALT in Beijing. 211 Factory has also been producing the CZ-2 series SLV for the PRC’s space programme.
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| DF-5 on the launch pad at Shuang Cheng Tzu missile and space centre (Chinese Internet) |
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| FB-1 space launch vehicle derived from the DF-5 on the launch pad in Shuang Cheng Tzu (Chinese Internet) |
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| DF-5 ICBM on the launch pad at Wuzhai Missile and Space Test Centre (Chinese Internet) |
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| DF-5 launch from underground silo in Wuzhai Missile & Space Test Centre (Chinese Internet) |
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DF-5A
An improved variant DF-5A was introduced in 1986. The missile features improved reliability, better accuracy and an extended range of 13,000km, enabling it to cover most part of the United State. An 1992 report suggested that the DF-5 missiles delivered in the 1980s were all upgraded to the DF-5A standard. A further batch of eight DF-5A missiles were produced in 1994~1995. By 2000, all missiles in operational service were in the DF-5A variant.
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| DF-5A launch from Shuang Cheng Tzu (Chinese Internet) |
Design
The DF-5 adopts a two-stage design. The first-stage consists of four parallel 75t-thrust YF-20 chambers motors with swinging nozzles. The second-stage utilises a 75t-thrust YF-22 motor with a fixed nozzle, and a swivelling venire motor with four 4.8t-thrust chambers, which was designed for steering and sustaining propulsion for a further 190 seconds after the shutting of the main motor, and enabling a wide aiming arc for the re-entry vehicles in the upper atmosphere. Both stages burn the UDMH/N2O4 storable liquid propellant. The propellant tank of the missile was made of high-strength, lightweight aluminium-cooper alloy, and the warhead was fitted with a heat shield made of carbon/quartz materials.
The missile uses an inertial guidance with onboard computer. The CEP of the missile was reported to be 1,000m. The missile has a maximum payload of 3,200kg, and can deliver a single 3MT thermal nuclear warhead. The DF-5 has the ability to carry one or more decoys along with the warhead. An U.S. report in 1999 suggested that the DF-5A may be fitted with 4~6 lightweight independently-targeted re-entry vehicle (MIRV) warheads from the DF-31/JL-2 programme, but it is generally believed that neither DF-5 nor DF-5A possess MIRV capability.
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| DF-5 ICBM and the test warhead (Chinese Internet) |
Launch Methods
Most of the DF-5 flight tests were carried out from fixed launch pads in Base 20 (Shuang Cheng Tzu) and underground silos in Base 25 (Wuzhai). Early variants of the DF-5 required about 2 hours for pre-launch preparation operation, but this may have been reduced to 45 minutes using computerised launch control system.
DF-5s in operational service have two methods of launch: fixed and mobile. Most of the missiles are deployed in underground silos and maintained in a ready-to-fire status. The rest are stored in a horizontal position in tunnels under high mountains, and are launched immediately outside the mouth of the tunnel. The later was aimed to improve the survivability of the missile during a pre-emptive nuclear strike.
In order to enhance the survivability of these missiles, the PLA has constructed a large number of decoy silos which consist of shallow holes excavations with headworks that resemble operational silos. Sophisticated engineering and the introduction of the computerised launch control systems have greatly decreased the launch preparation time of these missiles.
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| A DF-5 ICBM being integrated with a simulated warhead (Chinese Internet) |
Specifications
Configuration: Two-stage liquid
Length: 33m
Diameter: 3.4m
Launch Weight: 183,000kg
Propellant: Liquid fuel (Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine/Nitrogen Tetroxide mix [UDMH/N2H4])
Guidance: Inertial with onboard computer
Range: 12,000km (DF-5); >13,000km (DF-5A)
Deployment: Silo and launch pad
Re-entry Vehicle Mass: ~3,000kg
Warhead: Single 3,000~5,000kT
CEP: ~1,000m
Launch Preparation Time: 120 minutes (mobile), or 45~60 minutes (in silo)
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