The DF-26 (Dong Feng-26) is a Chinese dual-capable Intermediate-Range Ballistic Missile (IRBM) system, a type of weapon developed by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) and deployed by the People's Liberation Army Rocket Force (PLARF). Development began sometime before 2010, and it was publicly unveiled during a military parade in Beijing in September 2015. The missile was created to extend China's strike range, becoming its first conventionally-armed ballistic missile capable of reaching the U.S. military installations on Guam, earning it the nickname "Guam Killer".
The DF-26 is a two-stage, solid-fueled missile with an operational range of approximately 4,000 km. Its mechanism is based on a road-mobile Transporter-Erector-Launcher (TEL), which enhances its survivability and allows for rapid deployment. The missile is dual-capable, meaning it can be armed with either a conventional high-explosive warhead or a nuclear warhead, with a payload capacity estimated between 1,200–1,800 kg. A key feature is its modular design, which allows operators to rapidly swap between nuclear and conventional payloads in the field.
The missile connects directly to China's Anti-Access/Area Denial (A2/AD) strategy, which aims to deter foreign military intervention in regional conflicts. It is a significant component of this strategy because it can target both land-based installations and moving naval vessels, including aircraft carriers, through an anti-ship variant, the DF-26B, which was flight-tested in August 2020. The missile's guidance system reportedly uses a combination of inertial navigation, BeiDou satellite guidance, and optical terminal homing for precision strikes. The PLARF began fielding the DF-26 in 2016, and its deployment has raised concerns among regional powers, as it increases China's ability to project power across the Western Pacific and Indian Ocean.