People's Liberation Army Rocket Force

People's Liberation Army Rocket Force
中国人民解放军火箭军
Flag of People's Liberation Army Rocket Force
Active	1966–2015 (Second Artillery Corps) 2016–present (Rocket Force)
Country	People's Republic of China
Allegiance	Communist Party of China
Branch	People's Liberation Army
Type	Tactical and strategic missile force
Role	Strategic deterrence, counter-strike
Size	100,000 personnel
Headquarters	Qinghe, Haidian District, Beijing, China
March	"March of the Rocket Force" (《火箭军进行曲》)
Equipment	Ballistic missiles, cruise missiles
Engagements	Third Taiwan Strait Crisis
Commanders
Commander	General Wei Fenghe
Political Commissar	Lt. General Wang Jiasheng
Insignia
Badge

The People's Liberation Army Rocket Force (PLARF; simplified Chinese: 中国人民解放军火箭军; traditional Chinese: 中國人民解放軍火箭軍; pinyin: Zhōngguó Rénmín Jiěfàngjūn Huǒjiànjūn), formerly the Second Artillery Corps (SAC; simplified Chinese: 第二炮兵部队; traditional Chinese: 第二炮兵部隊,第二砲兵部隊; pinyin: Dì'èr Pàobīng Bùduì), is the strategic and tactical missile forces of the People's Republic of China. The PLARF is a component part of the People's Liberation Army and controls the nation's arsenal of land-based ballistic missiles - both nuclear and conventional. The military arm was established on 1 July 1966 and made its first public appearance on 1 October 1984. The headquarters for operations is located at Qinghe, Beijing. The PLARF is under the direct command of the Chinese Central Military Commission.

In total, China is estimated to be in possession of 260 nuclear warheads, with an unknown number of them active and ready to deploy. However, as of 2013, United States Intelligence estimates the Chinese active ICBM arsenal to range between 50 and 75 land and sea based missiles. The PLARF comprises approximately 100,000 personnel and six ballistic missile brigades. The six brigades are independently deployed in different military regions throughout the country. Presently, It has 1,833 ballistic missiles & 350 cruise missiles in its arsenal.