Out of sight of the Chinese public, the People's Liberation Army Rocket Force (PLARF) conducted a series of training exercises involving its short range ballistic missiles (SRBMs) and medium range ballistic missiles (MRBMs) such as the DF-16 deployed against Taiwan during the Chinese New Year last Jan. 28.

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Separate PLARF brigades conducted combat drills involving deploying and practice firing of the DF-11, an SRBM with a range of 300 km and an 800 kg high-explosive warhead; the DF-15 SRBM with a range of 600 km and a 500 kg high explosive warhead; the DF-16 MRBM with a range of 1,600 km and a 1,500 high explosive warhead and the DF-21C MRBM with a range of 2,500 km and a 500 kiloton nuclear warhead.

The brigades practiced different combat scenarios, including countering satellite reconnaissance and electronic jamming. The missile crews also practiced multiple maneuvers such as rapid loading; redeployment and launch sequence.

Chinese state-owned media, however, gave inordinate exposure to the DF-16, which it described as a missile that fills a gap in the China's ballistic missile arsenal.

Videos showed two types of DF-16: the original version with bullet-shaped nosecone and a new variant with a maneuverable re-entry vehicle and several extra fins.

State media said this was only the third time the DF-16 has been shown to the public. The missile made its debut at a military parade in Beijing in September 2015.

PLARF seems to place great faith in the DF-16, saying this MRBM "poses a challenge to foreign military installations along the First Island Chain," which is how the People's Liberation Army (PLA) describes the series of islands that stretch from Japan in the north to Taiwan and the Philippines to the south.

State media also revealed the DF-16's strike range fills the gap that previously existed with the absence of a medium-range ballistic missile in the PLA's arsenal. The missile can also reach Okinawa.

Only the 180 kilometer-wide Taiwan Strait separates Taiwan from mainland China. An invasion force from the PLA can traverse the strait in a few hours while a PLARF ballistic missile can cover this distance in a few minutes.

TagsPeople's Liberation Army Rocket Force, PLARF, short range ballistic missiles, SRBMs, medium range ballistic missiles, MRBMs, People's Liberation Army