[Jane's Defence: China's New Improved DF-26 Missile Revealed for the First Time]
According to a report published on July 21, 2026, by Jane’s Defence Weekly website in the UK: In July 2026, footage first aired on CCTV’s military program and subsequently disseminated through official channels showed a previously undisclosed upgraded variant of the DF-26 medium-range ballistic missile now in service with the People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force.
The new missile exhibits a distinctly blunt or flat top section. This clip represents the clearest external close-up of the DF-26 missile observed in publicly available imagery after it has exited its launch tube.
Differing from the sharp, pointed reentry vehicle or payload section commonly seen during previous military parades, the missile featured in this broadcast employs a shortened nose cone configuration.
If this flattened nose is an intentional engineering design—rather than a protective cover or optical imaging artifact—it may indicate the use of a more advanced maneuverable reentry vehicle, aimed at reducing aerodynamic heating at the missile’s tip. The principle involves forming a compressed air cushion between the shock wave and the body structure, significantly reducing peak thermal stress.
Thus, this enhancement could substantially improve the missile’s survivability when re-entering the atmosphere at hypersonic speeds.
Moreover, a more blunt forebody design could also facilitate integration of larger-sized transparent structures or guidance systems when targeting moving maritime objectives. Although the footage does not directly confirm the presence of an embedded radar sensor within the flat nose, the internal space freed up by the shortened nose cone is sufficient to accommodate active radar or multi-mode guidance systems for terminal target acquisition.
This configuration suggests that certain variants of the upgraded DF-26 may be tasked with anti-ship operations.
Disclaimer: The above equipment data originates from reports on Jane’s Defence Weekly website.
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Original article: toutiao.com/article/1871312078310792/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.