China has officially released high-resolution launch footage of the DF-17 hypersonic missile for the first time. Military experts point out that the DF-17 and other models in the Dongfeng missile series all meet "high combat standards."
On Saturday (June 20), state broadcaster CCTV's "Military Time" program aired two Rocket Force realistic combat drills. In one scenario, footage shows a DF-17 launch vehicle parked and erected alongside a highway, with the missile then being launched vertically.
In another segment aired by CCTV, at a Rocket Force field training site deep in the northwest Gobi Desert, multi-branched military units were conducting joint exercises, with several DF-26 and other new missile types erected and ready for launch.
CCTV reported that during these firepower strike operations, each combat unit not only had to closely coordinate to complete multiple waves of strikes, but also remained ready at any time to respond to special scenarios such as strong electromagnetic interference and precision strikes.
According to the report, for Rocket Force troops, high-intensity, multi-branched coordinated realistic training has now become routine. New equipment has streamlined the command chain, greatly reduced firepower response time, and broken through limitations of terrain, position, and weather, resulting in a proliferation of new combat and training methods.
Chinese military commentator Du Wenlong remarked that this was the first time the DF-17's launch status had been publicly shown. The launch vehicle can maneuver in complex terrain, and despite various interference factors, can still launch on time and accurately hit its target—demonstrating the Rocket Force's very high combat standards.
He analyzed that the release of launch footage for multiple missile types "shows that there are missile responses for different combat targets." Highway-based launches are just one approach: as long as a launch vehicle can be deployed, it can complete the erection and launch procedures.
CCTV footage also showed the latest model of the DF-26 being launched. The DF-26 adopts a cold-launch mode, with the upper stage of the missile producing lighter smoke and the lower stage producing darker smoke. Like the DF-17, the DF-26 also has "small wings" on its sides.
Du Wenlong said that the small wings serve braking and steering purposes, allowing the missile to maneuver significantly both laterally and longitudinally, which is more effective for striking complex and mobile targets. He emphasized that warheads with wings possess terminal phase maneuver capabilities, "giving them a very strong ability to penetrate all types of air and missile defenses."
Public information shows that the DF-17 was first displayed during the 70th National Day parade in 2019, making it the world’s first hypersonic missile in service with a “waverider” warhead. Its maximum range is about 1,500 to 2,000 kilometers, and it is capable of gliding within the atmosphere and altering its trajectory—greatly increasing the difficulty of missile defense interception.
According to CCTV reports, in recent years, a large number of new main battle equipment independently developed by China, such as the DF-17, DF-26D, DF-31, and DF-61, have been commissioned into the armed forces and are now regularly included in training.