Should US Be Threatened of DF-21D Ship Killer Owned by China?

Chinese experts say that the DF-21D firing is a response to the U-2 spy plane on August 26. It was a warning that the U.S. Navy aircraft carriers are not safe from the People's Liberation Army (PLA). Beijing considered the intrusion into exercises as severe because the U.S. can enter into their airspace easily.

The PLAN has placed all its hopes in the ship killer missile to stop the powerful American airwing and carrier strike groups which can decimate both the Shandong and Liaoning.

China keeps weapon specs top-secret

Development of this anti-ship ballistic missile (ASBM) is one of the major defenses that will be the first in line on the most purloined Chinese areas in the South China Sea, according toTaiwan News.

Beijing's intentional launching of the ASBM has made most U.S. allies become edgy with Chinese aggression in the South China Sea. Secrecy on the specs of the weapon is kept top secret by the Chinese military that has invested much technology which may include stolen tech as well.

Experts say that ballistic missiles will insert itself into the atmosphere with speeds of Mach 8 to 15, at a high altitude of 50 kilometers or whatever is preset with the missile. One problem is the heating up on reentry at 15 to 20 kilometers, at this point, it has lost speed and travels at Mach 2 to 3 at 5 kilometers. From here, it will depend on the design of the warhead.

Reentry is the easiest stage. Now, the crucial part is sighting the target and how fast the projectile can adjust till it hits. Adjustments in the ASBM's final approach are controlled by thrusters, it has to avoid anti-missile defenses or be shot down.

Also read: China Making It Hard for the US Forces to Hit Back at Them

Having a smart warhead design is useless when energized ion particles will blind the targeting system. It is vulnerable and defenseless which is a sitting duck for anti-ASBM weapons in the atmosphere. If it even gets through, only in the lower atmosphere can it acquire targeting information.

The U.S. is developing countermeasures to the anti-ship missile. So, the communist weapon is not 100% effective. With speeds of Mach 2 or more, the Chinese claimed it will be undefendable for the Nimitz class. Even interception takes time, but the U.S. is developing counters at close or far ranges.

PLA fantasize, even if the ASBM is seen at 80 kilometers, with a reduced speed when re-entering the atmosphere. Slowing down takes 30 seconds from the actual impact time. An aircraft carrier is not slow. U.S. Carrier has fast speeds that have traveled 375 meters and keep them up longer. The Liaoning and Shandong are without nuclear power, if the American vessels were fast and they would be in more danger, according to Defense Aerospace.

Missing the target

To put it simply, even if the target info has been determined, it will not be an assurance because the carrier has moved. The PLA fires at stationary targets and not a moving one, even with a circular error of probability (CEP) of accuracy.

Most of the scenario is arrogantly assumed that the U.S Navy will not have access to advance detection and anti-missile systems. This will not be the case for the DF-21 that has several shortcomings which are not mentioned.

Hitting a target, Chinese assets must paint the targets, but the DF-21D needs more input to increase pinpoint accuracy. It will be hard for subs or helicopters to penetrate the carrier screen, but will Beijing pick a fight where they can get clobbered?