People's Liberation Army Rocket Force | |
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中国人民解放军火箭军 | |
Flag of People's Liberation Army Rocket Force
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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.