There are reports of deployment progress of China's new land-based intercontinental ballistic missile "Dongfeng-61". Chinese state media CCTV reported on the 5th that this missile has been installed in the People's Liberation Army Rocket Force and has entered the regular training stage. Dongfeng-61 made its first public appearance at Beijing’s 93rd Military Parade in September last year, and is now rumored to have entered military training.
The report pointed out that Dongfeng-61 appeared in the strategic strike group nuclear missile formation during the military parade commemorating the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Anti-Japanese War on September 3, 2025. Chinese military commentator Shao Yongling analyzed that this type of missile took a short time from its appearance in the military parade to its regular participation in training. It is estimated that the development, finalization, trial installation and reliability verification may have been completed before the public display.
Shao Yongling also said that the DF-61 is compatible with the existing command, communication and support links of the People's Liberation Army. After receiving the installation, the troops can quickly become familiar with the new equipment and shorten the time to generate combat power. As for the Dongfeng-61's range, number of warheads, whether it has multiple independently guided warheads (MIRV) capabilities and guidance accuracy, Chinese officials have not released specific data.
火箭軍歷經整肅 核武力量持續擴張
When Dongfeng-61 is rumored to be put into service, the People's Liberation Army Rocket Force has also undergone high-level personnel purges in recent years. The "China Military Power Report" released by the U.S. Department of Defense in 2025 pointed out that in 2023, China replaced senior generals such as the Rocket Force commander, political commissar and multiple deputy commanders, and some defense industry executives and Rocket Force engineers were also investigated. The report assessed that this wave of anti-corruption actions may affect China's nuclear forces and raise doubts about its combat readiness.
The U.S. Department of Defense estimates that China's nuclear warhead inventory has exceeded 600 by the end of 2024. Although the growth rate has slowed down from previous years, it is still expected to exceed 1,000 in 2030. The report also pointed out that China has deployed more than 100 solid-fuel intercontinental missiles at three intercontinental missile silo bases.
On September 25, 2024, the Chinese Rocket Force launched an intercontinental ballistic missile equipped with a training simulated warhead into the high seas of the Pacific Ocean. This was China's first public test launch into the Pacific Ocean since 1980. The Chinese Ministry of National Defense said at the time that this was an annual military training arrangement and was not targeted at any specific country or target.
The U.S. Department of Defense pointed out in the 2025 "China Military Power Report" that the launch used a Dongfeng-31B intercontinental missile. It was launched from the northern part of Hainan Island and flew about 11,000 kilometers before falling into the waters near French Polynesia. The report believes that this test may be used to practice nuclear deterrence operations in peacetime and verify the ability of the missile to fly at its full range.
