China has developed a new weapon that is comparable to the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) of the United States. The new weapon reportedly boasts a 500km range and has been developed to reach high-altitude targets like the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh.
The deveopment of the weapon comes amid the talks between India and China over issues over their border. Talks started last July 17 but there has been no significant development in resolving the problems thet two nations have.
The Chinese military recently claimed that it had tested the precision attack capability of its new MLRS in a high-altitude zone, according to the state media network CCTV.
China's Platform for Rocket Launch
The People's Liberation Army used the PCL-191 MLRS, carried on a truck, to strike a target at a shooting range in the western desert of China from several kilometers, reported EurAsian Times.
Both sides have greatly expanded their firepower near the border since their border issues started in 2020. A Chinese military aircraft flew perilously close to one of the flashpoints in the Eastern Ladakh area during the last week of June.
Over the past week, the Chinese side also took part in hostile activities along the LAC in the Eastern Ladakh sector, flying extremely close to the LAC despite the confidence-building measures that restrict both sides from doing so, noted NDTV.
Military analysts claim that the purpose of the most recent MLRS display was to show off the PLA's firepower and battle preparedness for any border situation.
Chinese Rocket System a Threat to Opposing Forces
During China's National Day parade in October 2019, the sophisticated new Chinese weapon--considered to be the HIMARS-like--was shown in front of the general public for the first time.
According to the Chinese side, the precision-strike long-range MLRS was positioned along the Himalayan border with India in April 2021, as reported earlier by EurAsian Times.
MLRS Type PCL191 is a mystery weapon exhibited for the first time in 2019 in Beijing, a challenger to the US HIMARS wheeled launcher.
The system can reportedly carry two 750mm Fire Dragon 480 tactical ballistic missiles with a range of up to 500km or eight 370mm (1412 inch) rockets with a range of 350km,.
According to Zhou Chenming--researcher with the Yuan Wang military science and technology think tank in Beijing--the rocket launch system's range has been increased to 500 km. He added that the system used Chinese electronics and radar systems and China's BeiDou satellite navigation system to fire at targets.
Based on the official PLA Daily, the system was functional in April of last year by an artillery brigade of the Western Theatre Command in the Xinjiang military area. The brigade was deployed to a Himalayan region 5,200 meters (17,000 feet) above sea level and near the Indian border.
The PLA's Eastern Theatre Command previously deployed the rocket system at Huzhou, Zhejiang province, and Xiamen, Fujian province, China's closest point to Taiwan, casting doubt on the security of the Taiwan Strait as well.
For what it's worth, the new rocket system with the 500km attack range exceeds the United States' similar weapon.
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