DF-17 by PLA Rocket Force: status and timeline

Milestones

No announced next step

First DF-ZF glide vehicle test9 Jan 2014Complete.
Glide test flies ~1,400 km in 11 minutes1 Nov 2017Complete.
Shown publicly at Beijing parade1 Oct 2019Complete.
Entered service2019Complete.
Shown again at September 2025 parade3 Sep 2025Complete.

Most important updates

DF-17 appears among eight ballistic missile types at China's September 2025 parade3 Sep 2025
China shows the DF-17 hypersonic missile publicly for the first time at its 70th anniversary parade1 Oct 2019
China tests DF-17 with hypersonic glide vehicle; glider flies about 1,400 km in 11 minutes1 Nov 2017

Current obstacles

OpacityChina publishes almost nothing; even its developer is reported differently by US and other analysts.

Physics limits

Gliding bleeds energyWith no engine after boost, every manoeuvre trades away speed and range that cannot be recovered.
Heat limits the glideAir friction at Mach 5-10 heats the leading edges to thousands of degrees, so heat-resistant materials set how long it can glide.

How it works

3 parts

Booster

Solid rocket from a truck

A single-stage solid rocket, apparently the DF-16's, launches from a road-mobile truck that can hide and move.

Glider

DF-ZF separates

The booster lifts the wedge-shaped DF-ZF glider to the upper atmosphere, then drops away.

Glide

Low and manoeuvring

The glider flies around 60 km up, lower than a ballistic warhead, and turns as it goes, so radar sees it late and cannot predict where it lands.

Spec sheet

Spec	DF-17
Range (US estimate)	1,800-2,500 km^R (reported)
Glide speed	Mach 5-10^R (reported)
Length	11 m^R (reported)
Launch mass	15,000 kg^R (reported)
Glide altitude (2017 test)	~60 km^R (reported)

^R reported by the company

Update log

3 updates

About PLA Rocket Force

The team behind DF-17

PLA Rocket Force

China's land-based missile force, DF-17

The People's Liberation Army Rocket Force operates China's land-based ballistic and hypersonic missiles. It fields the DF-17, the first missile known to be in service with a hypersonic glide vehicle.

Operates the DF-17, publicly shown in 2019 and in service since then.
Showed the DF-17 again among eight ballistic missile types at the September 2025 Beijing parade.

Company profile →

Headquarters: China
Status: Government
Valuation: government
Works in: AviationHypersonic missiles
Coverage: 1 program · 3 updateslatest 3 Sep 2025checked 11 Oct

DF-17

Milestones

Most important updates

Current obstacles

Physics limits

How it works

Solid rocket from a truck

DF-ZF separates

Low and manoeuvring

Spec sheet

Update log

Wed 3 Sep 2025

Tue 1 Oct 2019

Wed 1 Nov 2017

About PLA Rocket Force

Current obstacles

Physics limits

How it works

Solid rocket from a truck

DF-ZF separates

Low and manoeuvring

Spec sheet

Update log

Wed 3 Sep 2025

Tue 1 Oct 2019

Wed 1 Nov 2017

About PLA Rocket Force