From DF-11 to DF-27: What China has in its regional ballistic missile arsenal
China has significantly expanded its ballistic missile arsenal, including short, medium, and intermediate-range systems designed to project power across the Indo-Pacific. Pentagon reports indicate a focus on hypersonic capabilities and precision strikes to counter regional military contingencies.
Why it matters
The modernization of China's missile forces is a critical factor in shifting the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific and influences US defense strategy.
China's rapidly expanding ballistic missile arsenal has become one of the defining features of the People's Liberation Army's (PLA) military modernisation, significantly enhancing Beijing's ability to project power across the Indo-Pacific.Over the past two decades, China has developed a layered inventory of short, medium and intermediate-range ballistic missiles capable of striking military bases, naval assets, command centres and critical infrastructure with increasing precision. Many of these systems are designed to support a potential Taiwan contingency while also holding US and allied forces at risk across the region.The Pentagon's latest assessments underscore the scale of China's missile expansion.
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