Welcome to BGIC's China Page !
BGIC will be uncovering aspects of the Chinese PLA that they perhaps wish were not common knowledge. Geospatial Technology makes it hard to hide things that are in plain view, or even under the odd camouflage net...Let me know what your interested in and I will see what I can find.
The first imagery analysis will be of a facility associated to the 2nd Artillery Corps, the PLA's Rail (mobile) ICBM system. The existence of the system was announced on China's CCTV and mentioned in http://freebeacon.com/riding-the-nuclear-rails/ . Two facilities have been identified, I will show one in detail.
Apart from the Freebeacon.com reference, I have used information from the Project 2049 Institute which in 2012 produced an extensive report on China's Nuclear Warhead Storage and Handling Systems. I'd like to commend Mark A. Stokes the author of this document for its fine work. chinas_nuclear_warhead_storage_and_handling_system.pdf.
An additional reference is the Missile Threat, A Project of the George C. Marshall and Claremont Institutes website http://missilethreat.com/missiles/df-41-css-x-10/.
So watch this space...
Overview
The Nanjing Road and Rail Launched Missile Maintenance Facility is located in the city of Nanjing, Jiansu Province, China approx 280Km NNW of Shanghai. This facility is one of two so far identified in China each with the same function and with a similar layout. This Imagery Intelligence Brief will consist of 15 images providing a detailed breakdown of the facility.
Executive Summary
China has sought to develop and improve on Western and Russian military concepts and technology. The Russia-US START treaty ended the requirement to further develop the Russian SS-24 Scalpel (below) and its American counterpart. China is not a signatory to the START treaties but does have the same strategic vulnerabilities to its 2nd Artillery Corps missile assets that pushed both the US and Russia to consider a rail mobile and road mobile TEL systems.
This facility consists of four distinct sets of missile maintenance high bay structures in groupings of two. Three of the sets are rail-served, with the other being road-served. Each set of the rail-served maintenance building were constructed at the same time and the construction timings for each set correlate to China's introduction of new missile systems. The building sets show an increasing complexity in their design in areas such as air handling and overall size. The underground railroad system accesses a possible missile storage area within the Dongshan (West Mountain) which forms part of the facility and which the rail lines cut through.
Construction
Facility construction began in the summer of 2003 as shown on Google Earth Pro imagery provided by Digital Globe (tm). The inital set of missile maintenance high bay structures were located on the southern side of the facility bounded against the terrain feature Dongshan (West Mountain). The westerly high bay building has a gantry crain which runs east - west along what will be the rail axis for both structures. A rail line tunnel adit into the mountain is located just west of the first structure in the set. The rail bedding extends from the rail tunnel adit north well outside of the carved out visible boundaries seen on graphic 2.
Comment: The timings of this construction and collateral open source data (http://www.ausairpower.net/APA-PLA-Ballistic-Missiles.html) would tend to indicate that the missile maintenance structures were designed for the implementation of the DF-31 missile series which entered IOC in 2007/8. By the mid-1980's designs for a rail launched missile system had been designed and created in both the US and Russia.
Imagery from July 2007 showes an expansion of the facility expanding the northern boundary. Footings for three new maintenance buildings are in place.
Mid August 2010 imagery showes the construction of the 2007 expansion has been completed with all construction materials removed. The network of rail lines in the facility appears complete with a four track rail yard with tracks leading into two rail adits, into two sets of missile maintenance buildings and to a single centrally located high bay building.
Two missile rail trolley transfer cars were noted on August 2010 Imagery on a rail siding entering one of the north-westerly maintenance buildings. The trolley cars have a length of approximately 11.9 Metres and 2,62 Metre width. The length and width are consistent with the DF 31 family of missiles approximate measurements of 11 Metres in length and span of 2 metres. These trolley cars were also seen on imagery again in 2011 on tracks leading to the first build set of missile maintenance buildings assessed as DF 31 associated. Note: reassessed as DF 31 related not DF 21 based on the construction time and missile IOC.
BGIC will be uncovering aspects of the Chinese PLA that they perhaps wish were not common knowledge. Geospatial Technology makes it hard to hide things that are in plain view, or even under the odd camouflage net...Let me know what your interested in and I will see what I can find.
The first imagery analysis will be of a facility associated to the 2nd Artillery Corps, the PLA's Rail (mobile) ICBM system. The existence of the system was announced on China's CCTV and mentioned in http://freebeacon.com/riding-the-nuclear-rails/ . Two facilities have been identified, I will show one in detail.
Apart from the Freebeacon.com reference, I have used information from the Project 2049 Institute which in 2012 produced an extensive report on China's Nuclear Warhead Storage and Handling Systems. I'd like to commend Mark A. Stokes the author of this document for its fine work. chinas_nuclear_warhead_storage_and_handling_system.pdf.
An additional reference is the Missile Threat, A Project of the George C. Marshall and Claremont Institutes website http://missilethreat.com/missiles/df-41-css-x-10/.
So watch this space...
The Nanjing Road and Rail Launched Missile Maintenance Facility is located in the city of Nanjing, Jiansu Province, China approx 280Km NNW of Shanghai. This facility is one of two so far identified in China each with the same function and with a similar layout. This Imagery Intelligence Brief will consist of 15 images providing a detailed breakdown of the facility.
Executive Summary
China has sought to develop and improve on Western and Russian military concepts and technology. The Russia-US START treaty ended the requirement to further develop the Russian SS-24 Scalpel (below) and its American counterpart. China is not a signatory to the START treaties but does have the same strategic vulnerabilities to its 2nd Artillery Corps missile assets that pushed both the US and Russia to consider a rail mobile and road mobile TEL systems.
(C) Creative Commons Attribution Share-Alike 2.5
RT-23 ICBM railroad-based complex in Saint Petersburg railway museum
This facility consists of four distinct sets of missile maintenance high bay structures in groupings of two. Three of the sets are rail-served, with the other being road-served. Each set of the rail-served maintenance building were constructed at the same time and the construction timings for each set correlate to China's introduction of new missile systems. The building sets show an increasing complexity in their design in areas such as air handling and overall size. The underground railroad system accesses a possible missile storage area within the Dongshan (West Mountain) which forms part of the facility and which the rail lines cut through.
Construction
Facility construction began in the summer of 2003 as shown on Google Earth Pro imagery provided by Digital Globe (tm). The inital set of missile maintenance high bay structures were located on the southern side of the facility bounded against the terrain feature Dongshan (West Mountain). The westerly high bay building has a gantry crain which runs east - west along what will be the rail axis for both structures. A rail line tunnel adit into the mountain is located just west of the first structure in the set. The rail bedding extends from the rail tunnel adit north well outside of the carved out visible boundaries seen on graphic 2.
Comment: The timings of this construction and collateral open source data (http://www.ausairpower.net/APA-PLA-Ballistic-Missiles.html) would tend to indicate that the missile maintenance structures were designed for the implementation of the DF-31 missile series which entered IOC in 2007/8. By the mid-1980's designs for a rail launched missile system had been designed and created in both the US and Russia.
Imagery from July 2007 showes an expansion of the facility expanding the northern boundary. Footings for three new maintenance buildings are in place.
Mid August 2010 imagery showes the construction of the 2007 expansion has been completed with all construction materials removed. The network of rail lines in the facility appears complete with a four track rail yard with tracks leading into two rail adits, into two sets of missile maintenance buildings and to a single centrally located high bay building.
Rail Missile TELs - Type 1
Two distinct types of likely missile related rail car (TELs) have been identified at the facility using the historic imagery provided by Google Earth Pro and supplied by Digital Globe (tm).
Type 1 is an approximately 25.5 Metre long rail car with two square roof-mounted features and two off centre short exhaust stacks mounted off the centre line to the cars axis. Part of the Type 1 rail TEL set is a control car which also has two square roof-mounted features however it lacks the two short off center line stacks. A flat bed rail car is often seen in conjunction with the Type 1 set.
Comment: The Type 1 TEL appears to be a copy of the Russian RT-23 with a single roof door hinged probably on one side of the car. The short stacks likely are for the engine powering the hydraulic system to raise/lower the TEL to launch position. The short stacks would not be a requirement if the rail car were simply a missile transport vehicle. The control car appears to be an exact copy of the Russia RT-23 launch control car.
Rail Missile TELs - Type 2
The Type 2 Missile Rail Tel cars appears to be a copy of the US Peacemaker Rail Garrison Car of which only 2 were constructed. The Chinese version rail car has a central spine running along its axis which opens to permit the missile to be erected or lowered.
Photo by Gregory J Kingsley
Facility Functional Areas
This image is an overview of the facility in 2013. The functional breakdown of the facility will be described in the next seven images. The facility appears to be complete, despite the excavation work being done on its north-western side. There appears to be ongoing construction at the Type 2 Car Maintenance (Graphic 13).
Administrative / HQ Area
The facilities Administration / HQ Area (Graphic 8) has three distinct areas. The entrance security area consists of a large two story white toned pillared entrance gate with a single story building to its exteriors southern side. The Pillars appear to look like a crouching person facing inward each holding above the entrance an end of a glass sphere in the shaped like a missile fuselage. The entrance is approximately 48.88ft (14.90M) wide.
The HQ area has a separate VIP Centre located on the northern side of the quadrangle, the southern side a covered car park. Central in the quadrangle is an ornate garden. The HQ Building is a rectangular multi-wing two story building located on the western side of the quadrangle. The HQ/Administration area is separated from the operations area by a wall and accessed through two gated entrances. The entire HQ / Administration area has had extensive tree planting following the initial excavation and construction.
Workshops / Administration Area
The Workshop and Administration Area is located west of the HQ area and consist of nine buildings. Along the northern facility wall there is a Service vehicle entrance to the facility. East of the vehicle entrance there is a multi-bay probable vehicle maintenance building. In the eastern corner of the Workshop area there is a red roofed drive thru building that is likely a fire hall. Four probable administration buildings are located south of the fire hall. The workshop buildings are several rectangular single story warehouse type buildings located in the southern part of the Workshop area. Central in the area is a sports field with obstacle courses and range butts on the western side of the field. A covered car park / range firing position is located on the eastern end of the sports field. Comment: Obstacle courses and small arms ranges are a common feature at PLA garrisons.
Warhead or Sensitive Material Storage
The Warhead or Sensitive Material Storage Building is located on the southern boundary of the facility and is in a separately secured area, the only one at the facility (above ground). The building is a single story warehouse type structure with vehicle loading bays on its western and eastern side. Two lightning arrestor towers are on each of the east / west loading area hardstands.
Rail TEL Car Type 1 Maintenance Area
The Rail TEL Car Type 1 Maintenance Area was the first of three sets of specifically suited building constructed. Its construction began in 2003 (see graphic 2) and likely operational by early 2005. The dates of construction completion and IOC for the Chinese DF31 in 2007/8 are consistent with Chinese planning methodologies to have facilities constructed as systems are in development. This building set consists of two structures each with rail access. The western most and smaller of the building set has a single entry track on its western side. There are two tracks exiting the eastern side of the building. The building has, a high gantry crane that runs the buildings length (west to east)(Graphic 3). Both buildings have lightning arrestor towers erected, a third set, not indicated on the graphic is just south of the road that runs on the building sets southern side partly obscured by the trees.
Comment: The purpose of this high bay building appears to be the separation of the Missile or warhead from the TEL and placing it onto the second track so that it can rolled into the second building where maintenance is effected. The building, in comparison to the larger in the set has very limited air handling equipment visible on its roof which is consistent with its assess function. In 2011 imagery two Missile Trolley cars were seen on the single track entering the smaller building in the set. End of Comment.
The second and larger building of the set has a higher bay section that runs north-south on its western end. This section has two rail entrances which are assessed to run the length of the structure's main gallery. On the southern side of the long gallery building the flat rood is a story lower than the main roof and it houses three sets of HEPA type air handling equipment which could indicate that the interior has three distinct maintenance areas requiring their own air handling. A covered entrance / Loading bay is located on the southern side of the building. This entrance is 195 meters from the warhead/sensitive material building (Graphic 10).
Fuel System Maintenance
The Possible Fuel System Maintenance building is a high bay rectangular building with a "T" shaped extension on its south-western end. The "T" shaped extension was added to the building between 2005 and 2007 which corresponds to other expansions at the facility. The building is rail served with one rail siding. Four high towers acting as lightning arrestors are located at the buildings corners. Two cylindrical tanks are often seen on a hardstand located just south of the building. A similar sized probable sea container is located on the "T" shaped portion of the building's eastern side (not annotated).
Comment: The Rectangular portion this building was erected with and is believed associated with the Rail TEL Car Type 1 Maintenance Area and therefore is DF 31 related. The "T" shaped extension was constructed in conjunction with the Rail TEL Car Type 2 Maintenance Area so it follows that the extension permits the missile system to be similarly maintained. The functional assessment of this building is based on the premise that prior to maintaining a missile system, the potentially volatile propellant used in the missile system should be off loaded. It follows that doing this removal would be safer if done in a building separate from the other maintenance work. End of comment.
The Car Type 2 Maintenance Facility is similar to the Type 1 set of buildings, with a few notable exceptions. Both rail TEL maintenance areas have two distinct buildings, with a single siding entering the first building in the series, and two tracks entering the longer maintenance structure. In this set the building structures are much larger than in the Type 1 set and they are separated by part of the mountain. The rail line linking the two areas is an assessment however it is also likely that the mountain contains a substantial underground storage facility based upon the spoil noted during the facilities construction. Both buildings have lightning arrestors mounted on towers located at the corners of the buildings. The footings for the larger building in the set were laid in mid 2007. The first Type 2 rail car TELs were observed on imagery at the facility in mid October 2011. This is consistent with the US DOD reporting in 2009 about the systems existence and it being brought to IOC in 2011. The DF 41 with a range of 12,000 km (according to open source data) presents a threat to North America and Europe
Comment: Like the Car Type 1 set, the first building in the series is assessed as warhead maintenance while the larger second building is devoted to airframe. engine and / or rail car maintenance. The DF 41 is a much larger system hence the larger structures in the set. End of Comment.
The Car Type 2 Airframe / Engine / Car Maintenance building is a large rectangular high bay building with two rail lines entering from its southern side. The building its self has a slight pitch to its upper roof with a probable fire / blast wall cutting the building in half. On the eastern side of the building there is a two story flat roofed section that runs the length of the building. On its roof are extensive air HEPA type air handling systems. On the north western corner of the building there are four open storage areas similar to what is commonly seen at munitions plants for explosive or sensitive ready use storage. This area has its own lightning arrestor towers. Along the northern boundary of the facility opposite this maintenance facility three rows of trees have been planted to obscure observation of the buildings northern end.
Construction of the Road Mobile TEL area began in mid 2007 with the footings for the structure being laid in Jul of that year. Lack of imagery makes it difficult to determine when the building set was completed. The two buildings are similar to the other two missile maintenance areas, it consists of two high bay buildings. The differences are, neither building are rail served and the smaller building, assessed as the warhead maintenance building is not a drive-through structure. Further, the larger Airframe / Missile maintenance building doesn't have any lightning arrestors. Imagery of August 14 2013 shows a probable DF 21C parked adjacent to the Airframe / Missile Maintenance building. Tire scaring can be seen on the imagery running from the buildings eastern vehicle entrance to the parked probable DF 21C.
Photo: Air Power Australia Technical Report APA-TR-2010-0802
The DF 21C is an Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile with a range of 2500 km.
Comment: The placement of the Road Mobile TEL area at the facility provides no ease of access to any underground storage at the facility (Unlike for the other maintenance areas). There are no provisions for rail access to the area for the movement of missiles therefore it is assessed that the probable DF 21C missiles are not stored at the facility and the TELs likely arrive at the facility with their missiles to receive scheduled maintenance. The possibility for the facility to store road mobile TEL missiles can not be ruled out, although it seems more probable that these are stored near the Mobile TELs garrison. End of Comment.
Conclusion:
This facility and another like it outside Beijing are an example of China's capability to capitalize on Western / Russian strategic thinking and put it into reality. China has for decades reengineered, with success, other technologies. Faced with the survivability challenges that both the US and Russia had for their nuclear forces, China has copied their pre-SALT treaty solution. The focus of the US on Russia has permitted China to field these capabilities without a limiting treaty such as the SALT series, this represents a bias (denial) on the part of the US toward China's abilities which is unfounded.
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