Lesson plan
DF-4
The Dongfeng 4 ( ) or DF-4 (also known as the CSS-3) is a first-generation two-stage liquid-fuelled Chinese intercontinental ballistic missile. It was estimated to be deployed in limited numbers in underground silos beginning in the late 1970s and retired around 2023, deploying around 10 to 15 launchers in the late 2010s. The yield of its nuclear warhead was estimated at 3.5 megatons. The DF-4's rocket propellant is the hypergolic mixture of nitric acid and unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine. The DF-4 has a takeoff thrust of 1,224.00 kN, a takeoff weight of 82000 kg, a diameter of 2.25 m, a length of 28.05 m and a fin span of 2.74 m. The range of the DF-4, equipped with a 2,190 kg nuclear warhead with a 3.5 megaton yield, was nominally 5,500 km. This gives it sufficient range to strike targets as far away as Russia, India, and American bases in the Pacific. It was the first Chinese missile capable of striking the Soviet capital city of Moscow and US assets on Guam. The missile uses an inertial guidance system, resulting in a large CEP of 1,500 meters. The nuclear warhead for the DF-4, named "512", was tested in China's tenth, eleventh, and twelfth nuclear tests.
Article summary
The Dongfeng 4 ( ) or DF-4 (also known as the CSS-3) is a first-generation two-stage liquid-fuelled Chinese intercontinental ballistic missile. It was estimated to be deployed in limited numbers in underground silos beginning in the late 1970s and retired around 2023, deploying around 10 to 15 launchers in the late 2010s. The yield of its nuclear warhead was estimated at 3.5 megatons. The DF-4's rocket propellant is the hypergolic mixture of nitric acid and unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine. The DF-4 has a takeoff thrust of 1,224.00 kN, a takeoff weight of 82000 kg, a diameter of 2.25 m, a length of 28.05 m and a fin span of 2.74 m. The range of the DF-4, equipped with a 2,190 kg nuclear warhead with a 3.5 megaton yield, was nominally 5,500 km. This gives it sufficient range to strike targets as far away as Russia, India, and American bases in the Pacific. It was the first Chinese missile capable of striking the Soviet capital city of Moscow and US assets on Guam. The missile uses an inertial guidance system, resulting in a large CEP of 1,500 meters. The nuclear warhead for the DF-4, named "512", was tested in China's tenth, eleventh, and twelfth nuclear tests.
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Discussion questions
- Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
- Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
- If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?
Bibliography
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