An intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) is a ballistic missile with a range greater than 5,500 kilometres (3,400 mi), primarily designed for nuclear weapons delivery. Conventional, chemical, and biological weapons can also be delivered with varying effectiveness, but have never been deployed on ICBMs. Most modern designs support multiple independently targetable reentry vehicle (MIRVs), allowing a single missile to carry several warheads, each of which can strike a different target. Russia, the United States, China, France, India, the United Kingdom, Israel, and North Korea are the only countries known to have operational ICBMs.
A ballistic missile is a type of missile that uses projectile motion to deliver warheads on a target. These weapons are powered only during relatively brief periods—most of the flight is unpowered. Short-range ballistic missiles stay within the Earth's atmosphere, while intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) are launched on a sub-orbital flight.
The Dongfeng series, typically abbreviated as "DF missiles", are a family of short, medium, intermediate-range and intercontinental ballistic missiles operated by the Chinese People's Liberation Army Rocket Force.
A transporter erector launcher (TEL) is a missile vehicle with an integrated tractor unit that can carry, elevate to a firing position and launch one or more missiles.
The People's Liberation Army Rocket Force, formerly the Second Artillery Corps, is the strategic and tactical missile force of the People's Republic of China. The PLARF is the 4th branch of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and controls China's arsenal of land-based ballistic missiles—both nuclear and conventional. The armed service branch was established on 1 July 1966 and made its first public appearance on 1 October 1984. The headquarters for operations is located at Qinghe, Beijing. The PLARF is under the direct command of the Chinese Communist Party's Central Military Commission (CMC).
Start-1 is a Russian satellite launch vehicle based on the RT-2PM Topol, a Soviet intercontinental ballistic missile developed by Moscow Institute of Thermal Technology.
The MAZ-543/MAZ-7310 "Uragan" is a Soviet/Belarusian 8×8 artillery truck designed and developed by MAZ, in what is now Belarus.
The TAIAN TA580/TAS5380 is a 20-ton 8x8 special heavy duty truck developed and built by Taian Special Vehicle Manufactory and used by the People's Liberation Army of the People's Republic of China as a transport/Transporter erector launcher.
The WS2400 is a 8x8 special heavy-duty truck developed and built by Wanshan Special Vehicle and used by the People's Liberation Army of the People's Republic of China as a transporter erector launcher (TEL) platform and is a reverse engineered version of the MAZ-543 missile Transporter erector launcher.
The WS2300 is a general purpose 16 tonne 6x6 special heavy duty truck made by Wanshan Special Vehicle Factory and used by the People's Liberation Army of the People's Republic of China.
The WS2500 is a 20-ton 10x10 special heavy duty truck used by the People's Liberation Army of the People's Republic of China. It is one of the principal mobility platforms in mounting China's medium-range ballistic missiles and other conventional missile assets.
Wanshan Special Vehicle, officially Hubei Sanjiang Space Wanshan Special Vehicle Co., Ltd (Ch:湖北三江航天万山特种车辆有限公司), is a truck and bus manufacturer in China. Its WS-series military trucks are used by the People’s Liberation Army; it is a major manufacturer of transporter erector launchers.
The WS51200 is an extremely large and heavy transporter erector launcher built by Wanshan Special Vehicle in China. The WS51200 is one of the largest in the WS family of transport trucks and TELs. The size of the WS51200 allows it to carry intercontinental ballistic missiles.
The Taian HTF5680A1 is a large transporter erector launcher with a 12x12 configuration. The vehicle comes in two primary variants. The conventional HTF5680 is a 12x12 flatbed vehicle for transport purposes. However, the most common and famous variant is the HTF5680A1 which carries ballistic missiles, most famously, the DF-26 intermediate-range ballistic missile.
The WS2600 is a 22.5 ton 10x10 transporter erector launcher used by the People's Liberation Army Rocket Force of the People's Republic of China. It is, along with the smaller WS2500, one of the principal mobility platforms in mounting China's medium-range ballistic missiles.
The Hanyang HY4260 is a model of military tractor trucks developed, produced and used by the People's Republic of China. These vehicles are primarily used to mount Beijing's ballistic missile family and are used in conjunction with other transporter erector launchers, to further bolster China's ballistic missile capabilities.
The Hanyang HY4330 is a large model of military tractor trucks developed and produced by the Hanyang Special Purpose Vehicle Institute, which in turn is used by the People's Republic of China. These trucks behave essentially like conventional transporter erector launchers and as such, are used primarily to offer Beijing second strike nuclear capabilities; bolstering China's ballistic missile capabilities.
The WS21200 is a large transporter erector launcher built and developed in the People's Republic of China. Like the WS51200, the WS21200 is not actually used by the People's Liberation Army Rocket Force, instead, the primary customer is Pakistan. The WS21200 along with the WS51200, is one of the larger TELs developed by the Wanshan Special Vehicle.
The Taian HTF5980 is a large transporter erector launcher used exclusively to carry the DF-41 Intercontinental Ballistic Missile. It is the largest known TEL used by the People's Liberation Army Rocket Force and the most powerful in terms of carrying capacity.
