World’s Most Dangerous Ground-Launched Tactical Missile Gets Stealth Upgrade: China’s Hypersonic DF-17 Now Harder to Track

Following its unveiling in October 2019, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s DF-17 ballistic missile was highlighted by analysts internationally as a potentially serious game changer both for the country’s military capabilities and for the balance of power in a number of theatres in Eat Asia. The missile is currently the only tactical design in the world launched from the ground with both a range exceeding 1000km and a hypersonic glide vehicle, with each deploying from a transporter erector launcher to maximise mobility before launch and thereby increase survivability. The glide vehicle makes attacks by the DF-17 extremely difficult to intercept, and with its range comfortably covering Taiwan, Korea and much of Japan from Chinese territory its utility for taking out key targets such as radar installations and air defence systems is considerable.

The DF-17's capabilities have led it to be widely considered the world’s most dangerous tactical ground to ground missile, although this could soon change as restrictions imposed by the Intermediate Range Nuclear Force Treaty on the American Russian arsenals recently expired. A recent upgrade to the design is reportedly intended to further improve the DF-17’s survivability by allowing it to better disguise itself from hostile reconnaissance. The missile’s new launch vehicle uses an integrated cover which encloses it within, which could help the missile disguise itself and could also shield it from harsh terrain in sub-freezing or desert climates.