China Puts DF-61 Road-Mobile ICBM Into Service as Its Nuclear Arsenal Keeps Growing

China's newest intercontinental ballistic missile is now officially in the force. Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported on November 5 that the DF-61 has entered service with the People's Liberation Army Rocket Force and is taking part in regular training, including launcher movements, changes of position and launch preparations.

The DF-61 was first shown to the public at the September 3, 2025 military parade in Beijing, which marked 80 years since the end of the Second World War. The CCTV report appears to be the first official statement that the missile has moved from display to operational use.

What is known about the DF-61

The DF-61 is a solid-fuel ICBM carried on a 16-wheel transporter-erector-launcher, which lets it move between hidden positions rather than sit in a fixed silo. A 2026 study by the Federation of American Scientists noted that its launcher closely resembles that of the DF-41, China's previous road-mobile ICBM.

Much remains undisclosed. China has not published the missile's range, its payload or how many launchers are in service. Outside estimates of its range vary widely, from roughly 12,000 to 18,000 kilometers. Some assessments suggest it may carry multiple independently targetable warheads, but Beijing has not confirmed this.

The four DF-61 vehicles shown in the 2025 parade reportedly came from the 651st Brigade, based in Chifeng in Inner Mongolia. That does not show how many of the missiles exist.

Estimated Chinese nuclear warheads. The 2030 figure is a projection. Militrax graphic.

Part of a fast nuclear build-up

The DF-61's entry into service comes as China expands its nuclear forces faster than any other country. The Federation of American Scientists estimates that China holds about 620 nuclear warheads in 2026, up from roughly 200 at the start of the decade. A 2025 US government report projected that China could have more than 1,000 warheads by 2030.

Alongside new road-mobile missiles, China has built three large missile silo fields in its northern deserts and, according to SIPRI, had loaded hundreds of missiles into them by early 2026.

Mobile missiles like the DF-61 are meant to survive a first strike by staying on the move. Together with the silo fields and China's submarine-launched missiles, they point to a force designed to guarantee that China can always retaliate.

What to watch

Chinese state media gave no figures on deployment numbers, crew readiness or the missile's performance, and independent analysts have not verified the details. Satellite imagery of new launcher garrisons, and the next US report on Chinese military power, are the most likely places for more information to emerge.