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As the new system was unveiled on three heavy-lift transport vehicles, the official commentary emphasised that it was “always on alert and capable of striking anywhere in the world”.
Liquid-fuel rockets have a long range but they take time to fuel and cannot be stored for long periods after fuelling – unlike solid-fuel missiles such as America’s Minuteman III.
But military experts say the DF-5C has made progress in these areas.
Its rocket nozzles are apparently protected by membrane-like materials, an upgrade from its predecessor the DF-5B, suggesting a leap forward in fuel storage technology that allows the missile to stand for long periods in a silo “ready to launch any time”, said a defence expert in Beijing who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue.
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