Thu Jan 01 21:50:00 UTC 2026: News Article Summary:
China has reportedly deployed a new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), the DF-27, capable of reaching the continental US and uniquely designed for both land-attack and anti-ship roles. According to a new Pentagon report, the DF-27’s range extends to Hawaii, Alaska, and parts of the continental US, posing a new threat to US naval forces and military installations in the Pacific. The DF-27 may also be equipped with a hypersonic glide vehicle, potentially enhancing its ability to penetrate US missile defenses. China is now the first country to field an operational, conventionally armed ICBM. The Pentagon report also noted the DF-27 likely has options for conventional land-attack, conventional antiship, and nuclear capabilities. Additionaly, China has showcased the DF-61 and DF-31BJ ICBMs, signalling a continued expansion of its ICBM arsenal.
News Article:
Pentagon: China Fields New DF-27 ICBM Capable of Striking U.S. with Conventional and Anti-Ship Capabilities
WASHINGTON – A new Pentagon report has revealed that China has deployed the DF-27, a new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) with the capability of striking the continental United States. The DF-27 is unusual for an ICBM in that it appears to be designed for both land-attack and anti-ship roles, the report states.
The Department of Defense’s annual report on the Chinese military, released last week, marks the first public assessment declaring the DF-27 as operational. The missile, with a range of 5,000 to 8,000 kilometers, can reach Hawaii, Alaska, and parts of the continental US, presenting a potential risk to US naval forces and military installations across the Pacific.
The DF-27 may also possess a hypersonic glide vehicle, according to previous Pentagon reports, enhancing its ability to penetrate US missile defenses.
“With the new DF-27 ICBM, China became the first to field an analogous capability: a conventional ICBM—with an ASBM variant—that can conduct rapid, long-range precision strikes out to intercontinental distances, including against its ‘strong enemy’s’ homeland and its naval forces at sea,” wrote Andrew Erickson, a professor at the US Naval War College’s China Maritime Studies Institute.
The report highlights China’s ongoing efforts to develop a diverse array of strike options, with the People’s Liberation Army’s Rocket Force undergoing significant expansion.
The Pentagon report also noted the DF-27 likely has options for conventional land-attack, conventional antiship, and nuclear capabilities.
In addition, Beijing’s reveal of the DF-61 and DF-31BJ ICBMs at a recent military parade signals a continued expansion of its land-based ICBM arsenal, further bolstering China’s strategic capabilities.
China has not publicly commented on the DF-27.
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