As we move into autumn (not that seasonal change means much here in temperate and beautiful Northern California), I am trying to move into a regular posting schedule. Up first is a rather short post adding to the hot takes on last week’s 70th WWII Anniversary Parade in China.
- Image: Zhang Siyang/GT
Let’s talk a bit about the Dong Feng missiles that were present and at attention.
The Second Artillery Force comprises six missile bases, numbered 51-56. An ongoing task of ours at CNS is to match missile deployments to specific bases (and launch brigades when possible). In fact, Jeffrey and I created a notional order of battle for the Second Artillery in Jeffrey’s latest book. (With thanks to Mark Stokes and Henry Boyd.)
During the parade, a major general from each base accompanied a missile that his base ostensibly deploys:
- Major General Li Jun (李军) | DF-21D
- Major General Chen Guoqiang (沈国强) | DF-15B and DF-16
- Major General Li Yuchao (李玉超) | DF-10A
- Major General Xue Jinfeng (薛今峰) | DF-26
- Major General Zhang Mingguo (张明国) | DF-5B
- Major General Wang Dingfang (王定放) | DF-31A
Identifications of these generals from Chinese news articles over the past few years appear to confirm some guesses from the notional battle about unit deployments and help inform others. I usually cross-reference information on personnel assignments from Chinese sources with the Directory of PRC Military Personalities. In this case, I do not have the 2015 version. Looking at the 2014 edition though, there appear to have been quite a few shifts in the leadership of the bases.
Base 51 | Major General Li Jun (李军) | DF-21D
The association with Major General Li appears to confirm that Base 51 deploys the DF-21D. It is possible that the some of the base’s older DF-3 and DF-21 launch brigades have been converted to the DF-21D.
Base 52 | Major General Chen Guoqiang (沈国强) | DF-15B and DF-16
The association with Major General Chen appears to confirm that Base 52 is primarily for conventional SRBMs. Given that the base’s nine launch brigades are scattered along the Southeastern coast of China, this is no surprise.
Base 53 | Major General Li Yuchao (李玉超) | DF-10A
The association with Major General Li confirms that at least one launch brigade under Base 53—which appears to deploy conventional SRBMs like Bases 51 and 52—deploys the DF-10A.
Base 54 | Major General Xue Jinfeng (薛今峰) | DF-26
Parade announcers specifically referred to the new DF-26 as capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear warheads, which as many analysts have noted may be problematic from a command and control perspective. Major General Xue appears to have been promoted last year and moved from the Second Artillery Testing Base 22, where he was the Chief of Staff according to the 2014 Directory.
Base 55 | Major General Zhang Mingguo (张明国) | DF-5B
The association with Major General Zhang appears to confirm that a launch brigade under Base 55 that deployed the DF-5A has been converted to the DF-5B ICBM.
Base 56 | Major General Wang Dingfang (王定放) | DF-31A
Major General Wang is the only base leader to also appear in the 2014 Directory of PRC Military Personalities in the same position. The association confirms that at least one of the four launch brigades under Base 56 deploys the DF-31A ICBM.
As always, I’m happy to hear any other thoughts in the comments from interested readers.