China China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation
DF-21D
A road-mobile, medium-range anti-ship ballistic missile widely described as a carrier-killer, designed to strike moving naval targets at sea using a maneuverable reentry vehicle guided by radar and satellite updates. It is a variant of China's DF-21 medium-range ballistic missile family.
In service since 2010 · 1 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
1,500
km range
10
Mach
600
kg warhead
Pricing: Unit cost not publicly disclosed
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
Chinese state channel
State export agencies (NORINCO/CATIC); limited availability to Western-aligned states.
Channel: State export agency
Fielded & proven
Limited · 1 operator
In service since 2010. Status: active.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
No public unit price to model from.
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Derived guidance from public data — export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
- Max speed (Mach)
Maximum speed as a multiple of the speed of sound. Mach 2+ is typical for air-superiority fighters.
- 10 Mach Top 6% of missiles
- Range
Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence.
- 1,500 km Stronger than 88% of missiles
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
- Warhead
Warhead mass. Heavier generally means larger effect radius, at the cost of range.
- 600 kg Stronger than 88% of missiles
- Warhead type
Blast-fragmentation, shaped charge (HEAT), penetrator, thermobaric or nuclear-capable.
- High-explosive or conventional penetrator, maneuverable reentry vehicle
- Guidance
How the weapon finds its target: inertial, GPS/GLONASS, active/semi-active radar, infrared, laser, TV, wire.
- Inertial navigation, satellite update, terminal radar homing
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
- Length
Overall length including gun/probe where applicable.
- 10.7 m
- Combat weight
Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor.
- 14,700 kg
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
- Propulsion type
Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet…
- Two-stage solid-fuel rocket
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
- Operator countries
Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.
- 1 Stronger than 13% of missiles
Specifications compiled from public China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations — treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
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Lockheed Martin AGM-114 Hellfire Frequently asked questions
What is the range of the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation DF-21D? +
The China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation DF-21D has a maximum range of 1,500 km.
How much does the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation DF-21D weigh? +
The China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation DF-21D has a combat weight of 14,700 kg.
What is the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation DF-21D used for? +
The China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation DF-21D is a missile typically used for deep strike.
How many countries operate the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation DF-21D? +
The China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation DF-21D is operated by 1 countries.
How much does the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation DF-21D cost? +
China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation DF-21D: Unit cost not publicly disclosed. Defense program costs are rarely fully public and vary by contract and configuration.
