Published : 2024-10-27
On October 27, 1966, China's first surface-to-surface missile, DF-2A (東風-2A) armed with a nuclear warhead, successfully detonated during its flight.
As early as when China started developing atomic bombs, it had already set its next target on missile nuclear weapons.
Since the simulated tests under various ground conditions and underground nuclear explosion tests cannot fully simulate the real state during flight, a comprehensive assessment of the nuclear weapon's effectiveness cannot be achieved.
On March 11, 1966, Premier Zhou Enlai (周恩來) convened the 15th Meeting of the Central Special Committee in the Xinjiang Hall of the Great Hall of the People, where they discussed the National Defence Science Commission's report on the combined test of "Two Bombs", and decided to conduct it on Chinese soil.
On October 26 of the same year, the nuclear-armed missile was safely transported to the launch site. In the early hours of the next day, the missile erected on the launch pad was launched into the sky, and 9 minutes and 4 seconds later, it accurately hit the Lob Nor strike zone 894 kilometres away and successfully achieved a nuclear explosion at a height of 569 metres above the bullseye.
The successful development of nuclear-armed missile is a great achievement made by China through self-reliance and independent innovation under conditions of very weak material technical foundations.
It not only enhanced China's scientific and technological strength, especially defence capabilities, but also improved China's important position on the international stage.
