NASIC - National Air and Space Intelligence Center
The report said China has "the most active and diverse ballistic missile development program in the world," with seven types of short-range missiles, five types of medium-range missiles; four ICBMs, two submarine-launched missiles and two land-attack cruise missiles.
The report identifies for the first time the range of China's aircraft carrier-killing missile: The modified CSS-5 medium-range missile can travel 900 miles. Three other modifications of the CSS-5 - two nuclear tipped and one with a conventional warhead - also were disclosed for the first time, all with ranges of more than 1,100 miles.
The report stated that China's nuclear warhead arsenal is expanding significantly, with the number of ICBM warheads capable of threatening the United States expected to grow to "well over 100 in the next 15 years."
ICBM levels have increased sharply since the Pentagon's latest annual report to Congress on the Chinese military was published in March. The Pentagon report listed the deployment of less than 10 each for the new hard-to-locate road mobile DF-31 and DF-31A ICBMs.
The NASIC report, released last week, stated that China has now deployed less than 15 each of the DF-31 and DF-31A.
"In just over two months U.S. intelligence community estimates have China's ICBMs increasing by 25 percent. That's a formidable rate of growth," said Richard Fisher, a specialist on the Chinese military with the International Assessment and Strategy Center.
Overall, the Pentagon report lists China as having 40 land-based missiles capable of reaching the United States, while the NASIC report lists about 50 missiles with that range.
The report said China has "the most active and diverse ballistic missile development program in the world," with seven types of short-range missiles, five types of medium-range missiles; four ICBMs, two submarine-launched missiles and two land-attack cruise missiles.
The report identifies for the first time the range of China's aircraft carrier-killing missile: The modified CSS-5 medium-range missile can travel 900 miles. Three other modifications of the CSS-5 - two nuclear tipped and one with a conventional warhead - also were disclosed for the first time, all with ranges of more than 1,100 miles.
The report stated that China's nuclear warhead arsenal is expanding significantly, with the number of ICBM warheads capable of threatening the United States expected to grow to "well over 100 in the next 15 years."
ICBM levels have increased sharply since the Pentagon's latest annual report to Congress on the Chinese military was published in March. The Pentagon report listed the deployment of less than 10 each for the new hard-to-locate road mobile DF-31 and DF-31A ICBMs.
The NASIC report, released last week, stated that China has now deployed less than 15 each of the DF-31 and DF-31A.
"In just over two months U.S. intelligence community estimates have China's ICBMs increasing by 25 percent. That's a formidable rate of growth," said Richard Fisher, a specialist on the Chinese military with the International Assessment and Strategy Center.
Overall, the Pentagon report lists China as having 40 land-based missiles capable of reaching the United States, while the NASIC report lists about 50 missiles with that range.
