DF-26

China's road-mobile, dual-capable intermediate-range ballistic missile — designed to hold US bases in the Western Pacific at risk and, in its anti-ship variant, to challenge carrier strike groups far from shore.

Overview

The DF-26 (Dong Feng-26, US DoD designation CH-SS-18) is a two-stage, solid-propellant intermediate-range ballistic missile fielded by the PLA Rocket Force. It is China’s first nuclear-armed system able to conduct precision strikes, a milestone highlighted by the US Defense Intelligence Agency, and its modular payload concept allows a single missile type to carry either nuclear or conventional warheads in a biconic maneuvering reentry vehicle The Washington Times. The range — estimated by the Center for Strategic and International Studies at roughly 4,000 km, with Chinese sources claiming more than 5,000 km — puts the US territory of Guam, major bases in Japan, and large areas of the Western Pacific within reach CSIS Missile Threat. An anti-ship variant, the DF-26B, expands the family into the anti-access/area-denial role that had previously been the preserve of the shorter-ranged DF-21D.

🔒 The full DF-26 file is for BattlePolicy Pro members. Below the line: development history, design and capabilities, variants, the combat record, advantages and limitations, comparable systems, outlook, the full specifications table, our sourcing, and the analyst assessment — procurement, suppliers and the BattlePolicy verdict. Unlock the full file with BattlePolicy Pro →