DF-21 vs DF-31: Specs Compared

ABallistic missiles

DF-21

MRBM / IRBM

BBallistic missiles

DF-31

Intercontinental ballistic missile

First system

Second system

At a glance

Side by side

Length comparisonOne shared metre scale

DF-21Length

10.7 m

Length source ↗

DF-31Length

21.6 m

Length source ↗

Lengths retain their source configuration and measurement scope.

DF-21larger figure on 0 of 3

None

DF-31larger figure on 3 of 3

Length+102%
Diameter+69%
Mass+267%

Counts only measures both sources give with the same scope. A larger figure is not a better system.

Measured figures

Head to head

15 of 17 rows sourced on both sides

10.7m

21.6m

Length+102%

All recorded figures & sources

10.7 m

Length

Single source

10.7 metres (35 ft)^[source]

21.6 m

Length

Single source

21.6 m (70 ft 10 in)^[source]

1.4m

2.37m

Diameter+69%

All recorded figures & sources

1.4 m

Diameter

Single source

1.4 metres (4.6 ft)^[source]

2.37 m

Diameter

Single source

2.37 m (7 ft 9 in)^[source]

14.7t

54t

Mass+267%

All recorded figures & sources

14,700 kg

Mass

Single source

14,700 kilograms (32,400 lb)^[source]

54,000 kg

Mass

Single source

54 t (54,000 kg ; 60 short tons )^[source]

1,770kmOperational; DF-21/DF-21A

13,200kmOperational; DF-31A

RangeScopes differ

All recorded figures & sources

1,700 km

Operational; DF-21C

Single source

1,500 km

Operational; DF-21D ASBM

Single source

1,770 km

Operational; DF-21/DF-21A

Single source

1,770 km (1,100 mi) (DF-21/DF-21A) 1,700 km (1,100 mi) (DF-21C) 1,500 km (930 mi; 810 nmi) (DF-21D ASBM )^[source]

7,200–8,000 km

Operational; DF-31

Single source

13,200 km

Operational; DF-31A

Single source

7,200–8,000 km (4,500–5,000 mi) (DF-31) 13,200 km (8,200 mi) (DF-31A)^[source]

Bars compare reported quantities only. A larger figure does not make a system better; configurations and test conditions differ.

Configuration

Details

DF-21 and DF-31 configuration
Specification	DF-21	DF-31
Speed	Mach 10 (estimated maximum before re-entry)^[source]	Up to 8.16 km/s (Mach 25)^[source]
Type	MRBM / IRBM^[source]	Intercontinental ballistic missile^[source]
Place of origin	China^[source]	People's Republic of China^[source]
In service	1991^[source]	2006 (DF-31), 2007 (DF-31A), 2017 (DF-31B)^[source]
Used by	People's Liberation Army Rocket Force Royal Saudi Strategic Missile Force^[source]	People's Liberation Army Rocket Force^[source]
Warhead	conventional 600kg: 1, or 5-6 (improved variant) nuclear 200-300-500 kt nuclear^[source]	425 kilotonnes of TNT (1,780 TJ)^[source]
Engine	Solid fueled^[source]	Solid-fuel rocket^[source]
Guidance system	Inertial + terminal active radar guidance^[source]	Astro-inertial guidance with BeiDou Navigation Satellite System^[source]
Accuracy	DF-21 700m, DF-21A 50m, DF-21B 10m CEP (with BeiDou Navigation Satellite System and active radar)^[source]	100 m CEP for silo launched and 150–300 m for TEL-launched.^[source]
Launch platform	Mobile launcher^[source]	Silo, 8 axle TEL^[source]
Manufacturer	( Capital Astronautics Co. )^[source]	Academy of Rocket Motors Technology (ARMT)^[source]
Unit cost	—	-^[source]
Flight altitude	—	Up to 1,200 km (750 mi)^[source]

FORCETALLY

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DF-21

DF-31

Speed

Mach 10 (estimated maximum before re-entry)^[source]

Up to 8.16 km/s (Mach 25)^[source]

Type

MRBM / IRBM^[source]

Intercontinental ballistic missile^[source]

Place of origin

China^[source]

People's Republic of China^[source]

In service

1991^[source]

2006 (DF-31), 2007 (DF-31A), 2017 (DF-31B)^[source]

Used by

People's Liberation Army Rocket Force Royal Saudi Strategic Missile Force^[source]

People's Liberation Army Rocket Force^[source]

Warhead

conventional 600kg: 1, or 5-6 (improved variant) nuclear 200-300-500 kt nuclear^[source]

425 kilotonnes of TNT (1,780 TJ)^[source]

Engine

Solid fueled^[source]

Solid-fuel rocket^[source]

Guidance system

Inertial + terminal active radar guidance^[source]

Astro-inertial guidance with BeiDou Navigation Satellite System^[source]

Accuracy

DF-21 700m, DF-21A 50m, DF-21B 10m CEP (with BeiDou Navigation Satellite System and active radar)^[source]

100 m CEP for silo launched and 150–300 m for TEL-launched.^[source]

Launch platform

Mobile launcher^[source]

Silo, 8 axle TEL^[source]

Manufacturer

( Capital Astronautics Co. )^[source]

Academy of Rocket Motors Technology (ARMT)^[source]

Unit cost

—

-^[source]

Flight altitude

—

Up to 1,200 km (750 mi)^[source]