Author Topic: KT-1 Based on DF-21 or DF-31?  (Read 3416 times)

Offline edkyle99

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KT-1 Based on DF-21 or DF-31?
« on: 01/24/2007 07:11 pm »
Is China's KT-1 based on the DF-21 MRBM (1.4 m diameter) or the DF-31 ICBM (2 m diameter)?  Available Internet references seem to conflict, very much, on this.  

 - Ed Kyle

Offline edkyle99

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RE: KT-1 Based on DF-21 or DF-31?
« Reply #1 on: 02/02/2007 04:20 pm »
Quote
edkyle99 - 24/1/2007  2:11 PM

Is China's KT-1 based on the DF-21 MRBM (1.4 m diameter) or the DF-31 ICBM (2 m diameter)?  Available Internet references seem to conflict, very much, on this.  

 - Ed Kyle

Looking closely at the largest KT-1 pre-launch image at the following site:

http://www.sinodefence.com/strategic/launchvehicle/kt1.asp

it appears to me that the KT-1 first stage is smaller in diameter than the soldiers guarding it are tall.  That would make it substantially less than 2 meters in diameter, unless China was using some unusually tall soldiers for this duty!  The apparent diameter is consistent with a DF-21 first stage rather the the previously assumed DF-31 first stage.  I'm starting to think that KT-1 might be a good candidate for China's ASAT missile after all.

 - Ed Kyle

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Re: KT-1 Based on DF-21 or DF-31?
« Reply #2 on: 02/24/2007 09:22 pm »
I have to agree - KT-1 is most likely based on DF-21 and it would indeed make a excelent candidate launchvehicle for the ASAT test.


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