Missile Dongfeng DF-4 (CH-SS-3)
Summary
| NATO Designation | CH-SS-3 |
| Category | Ballistic Missiles |
| Sub-type | Intercontinental Ballistic Missile |
| Origin country | 🇨🇳 China |
| Manufacturer | Factory 211 (Capital Astronautics Co.) |
| Status | In service |
| Year of service | 1975 |
Technical specifications
| Warhead | Nuclear |
| Warhead weight | 2190 kg (4,828 lb) |
| Diameter | 2,250 mm (88.6 in) |
| Span | 2,740 mm (107.9 in) |
| Length | 28,050 mm (1104.3 in) |
| Weight | 82,000 kg (180,779 lb) |
| Range | 5,500 km (3,418 mi) |
| Max. speed | 22,000 km/h (Mach 22.0) |
Dongfeng DF-4 scale diagram
Operators
Description
The decision to develop the DF-4 was made in 1965 in response to United States ballistic missile submarine patrols operating from Guam. Deployment of the system began in 1975–1976.
The DF-4 is a first-generation two-stage intercontinental ballistic missile utilizing a liquid-fuel propellant system consisting of nitric acid and unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine. The missile carries a nuclear warhead with a 3.3-megaton yield; the DF-4A variant is capable of carrying three warheads. Guidance is provided by an astro-inertial system, resulting in a circular error probable of 1.5 kilometers.
The People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force is the sole operator of the system. The missile is deployed in two configurations: one housed in underground silos and another stored in caves or garages for roll-out launch. Although initial intelligence estimates projected earlier adoption, limited numbers of missiles were in place by the mid-1980s. The system is positioned to reach targets in Russia, India, and United States bases in the Pacific. The DF-4 remains in service for regional deterrence as it is phased out in favor of the DF-31.