Saudi Arabia uses DF-15 missiles to strike Houthi forces! On September 14, according to foreign media reports, the booster of a Chinese-made DF-15A missile was discovered in Marib, Yemen. The Houthi forces do not possess these missiles; their primary arms supply comes from Iran. Foreign media noted that Saudi Arabia has a documented history of purchasing Chinese ballistic missiles, and this may be the first observed instance of Saudi Arabia employing the DF-15A in combat.
Has Saudi Arabia ever purchased our missiles? Of course it has. In fact, the only Chinese ballistic missile publicly confirmed by Saudi Arabia is the DF-3A. Previously, U.S. intelligence agencies claimed Saudi Arabia had purchased the DF-21, but whether Saudi Arabia acquired the DF-15A remains undisclosed by both China and Saudi Arabia. Nonetheless, based on the on-site footage, this may indirectly confirm that Saudi Arabia indeed purchased such a type of missile from us.
According to available information, the DF-15A is an improved variant of the DF-15 series, entering service at the end of the 1990s. It is a short-range solid-fuel ballistic missile with a weight of 6.2 tons, a length of 9.1 meters, a diameter of 1 meter, powered by a single-stage solid rocket engine, capable of road-mobile launch. Its maximum range is approximately 600 kilometers, carrying a warhead weighing 500 kilograms. It can carry high-explosive warheads or anti-runway submunitions, making it suitable for targeting hardened structures, ammunition depots, clustered troop positions, airfields, and other tactical objectives.
From an operational perspective, Yemen is not far from Saudi territory, and the DF-15A’s range fully covers the entire territory of Yemen. Compared to the extensive use of F-15 fighter aircraft for airstrikes, ballistic missiles can deliver rapid strikes unaffected by air defense systems. Of course, the sole drawback of using missiles is their high cost—each missile costs significantly more than cruise missiles or aerial bombs. If Saudi Arabia truly used this type of missile against the Houthi forces, it would represent a substantial financial commitment.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1876307721756780/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.