China Tests DF-17 Hypersonic Missile for the First Time Under "Battlefield Conditions"

Chinese official media has shown the launch of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Rocket Force's DF-17 hypersonic missile for the first time.

The DF-17 hypersonic missile, characterized by its waverider aerodynamic design, was previously displayed at military parades in Beijing on October 1, 2019 and September 3, 2025. A separate report by the military channel of CCTV showed a transporter erector launcher similar to that of the DF-17 erecting a missile with what seems to have a bicone aerodynamic design not seen before.

Military commentator Du Wenlong told CCTV: "First, the exercise took place under field conditions. The fact that launch vehicles maneuvered across complex terrain indicates that field operations have become the basic mode of combat, rather than conducting military operations in fixed, pre-selected areas," Du said.

"Second, the scenario was complex. The launch drill involved various forms of interferences. The ability to carry out different combat missions, launch missiles on schedule and achieve effective strikes under such conditions is an important benchmark for building combat capability," he said.

The "Dongfeng" family of missiles now forms a diversified operational system with complementary ranges and missions, according to the report. In recent years, a number of domestically developed systems, including the DF-17, DF-26, DF-31 and DF-61, have been deployed and regularly incorporated into training exercises.

The footage also showed another missile resembling the DF-26 intermediate-range ballistic missile unveiled during previous military parades. Du said the missile could be the latest upgraded variant of the DF-26, adding that its appearance suggested the system was being integrated into a broader operational framework. Like the DF-17, the missile appeared to feature small control fins near its warhead.

According to Du, the fins serve multiple functions, including decelerating the missile and enabling course adjustments. The differential movement of the control surfaces can alter the missile's aerodynamic characteristics, allowing it to make significant lateral and vertical maneuvers. Such capabilities would be particularly effective against complex, mobile and emerging targets, he said.

Warheads equipped with control fins typically possess terminal maneuvering capabilities, significantly enhancing their ability to penetrate air and missile defense systems, Du added.