Analysis: Capabilities of Chinese missiles

Yong'an DF-15 / M-9 [CSS-6] missile site
Recent Google Earth satellite photos have revealed the positions of Chinese ballistic missiles (SSMs) under the control of the People's Liberation Army's Second Artillery Force located in Meizhou, Guangdong province and Yongan, Fujian province.

Both missile sites are near small cities to reduce the chance of their location being disclosed. The missiles must be transported to launch sites in the mountains when the need arises. The troops are therefore normally stationed in the small cities.

With the development of the market economy the SAF units, which were mostly stationed in remote mountainous regions in the past, have become the most unstable combat forces in the PLA.

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