DF-17

The Dongfeng-17 (simplified Chinese: 东风-17; traditional Chinese: 東風-17; pinyin: dōngfēng-17; lit. 'East Wind-17'; NATO reporting name: CH-SS-22^[5]) is a Chinese solid-fuelled road-mobile medium-range ballistic missile^[3] designed to carry the DF-ZF hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV).^[6]

DF-17
DF-17 missile on a road-mobile vehicle
Type	MRBM with HGV
Place of origin	China
Service history
In service	2019–present
Used by	People's Liberation Army Rocket Force
Production history
Manufacturer	China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT)[1]
Specifications
Mass	~15,000 kilograms (33,000 lb)[2]
Length	~11 metres (36 ft)[2]
Warhead	Thermonuclear (claimed by the United States) or Conventional
Engine	Single-stage solid-fuel rocket[3]
Operational range	1,600 kilometres (990 mi)+[4]
Launch platform	Road-mobile Transporter erector launcher

Design

The DF-17 uses the rocket booster from the DF-16B short-range ballistic missile.^[6]

It is more difficult for missile defenses to intercept the manoeuvrable DF-ZF than a ballistic missile, whose trajectories are more predictable.^[7][5] DF-17 strikes to degrade air and missile defenses may precede the use of less survivable weapons.^[5]

The missile is equipped with a hypersonic glide vehicle, which allows it to skip along the earth's atmosphere, allowing it to go undetected by radar for longer distances than a ballistic missile covering the same distance. According to a December 2025 article in the Wall Street Journal, military experts believe the missile would be likely deployed against US military targets in Okinawa, in the event that the Chinese military chose to strike them ahead of an invasion of Taiwan.^[8]

According to Chinese commentators, the DF-ZF is armed with a conventional warhead.^[7] US intelligence considers the DF-ZF to be nuclear capable as well.^[9]

Development

The DF-ZF flight test on 15 November 2017 was launched using a DF-17.^[10][2]

The DF-17 and DF-ZF made their first official public appearance during the National Day military parade on 1 October 2019.^[6]

A 2020 study by the U.S. Air Force said the missile was believed to be the first HGV-equipped tactical ballistic missile in operational deployment.^[6]

Strategic implications

In March 2020, the United States Department of Defense proposed accelerating the development of conventionally armed hypersonic glide vehicles (HGV) to keep pace with the Chinese development. Michael Griffin, former Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, told the House Armed Services Committee that the United States needs to develop hypersonic weapons "to allow us to match what our adversaries are doing."^[11]

Further development

In 2020, multiple military observers in China reported an air-launched hypersonic missile version based on DF-17 was undergoing testing.^[12][13]

See also

• Avangard – Russia's ground-based hypersonic glide vehicle
• Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon – US planned hypersonic glide vehicle