The People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force (PLARF), formerly the Second Artillery Corps (SAC), is the strategic and tactical missile forces of the People’s Republic of China. The PLARF is a component part of the People’s Liberation Army, and controls the nations arsenal of ballistic missiles – both nuclear and conventional. The military arm was established on 1 July 1966 and made its first public appearance on 1 October 1984. The headquarters for operations is located at Qinghe, Beijing. The PLARF is under the direct command of the Chinese Central Military Commission.
In total, China is estimated to be in possession of 260 nuclear warheads, with an unknown number of them active and ready to deploy. However, as of 2013, United States Intelligence estimates the Chinese active ICBM arsenal to range between 50 and 75 land and sea based missiles. The PLARF comprises approximately 100,000 personnel and six ballistic missile brigades. The six brigades are independently deployed in different military regions throughout the country.
The name was changed to the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Rocket Force on 1 January 2016.
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