Russia: Missile Exports to China: Ballistic Missile Components


To return to the main Missile Exports to China entry, see the Missile Exports to China file

ICBM Engines and Components

China has made significant efforts to obtain Russian ballistic missile propulsion and guidance technology.[1]  According to Russian analysts, in 1990 and 1991 China purchased several RD-123 rocket engines, originally designed by Russia's NPO Energomash and manufactured in Ukraine by NPO Pivdenmash (a.k.a. NPO Yuzhmash) using some Russian parts. China also obtained several RD-170 engines, used in the first stage of Zenit booster rockets, from both Energomash and Pivdenmash.[7]  In 1992 and 1993, US officials and Western press reports alleged that China had purchased propulsion and guidance components of various Russian ICBMs, including the RS-20 (aka R-36M, NATO designation SS-18 'Satan'), the RS-22 (RT-23UTTKh, SS-24 'Scalpel') and the RS-12M (RT-2PM, SS-25 'Sickle'), but these reports gave no details on the number or type or components involved.[2,3] Russian and Chinese officials have denied that these sales ever occurred.[4,5,6]
Sources:
[1] "China's Missile Imports and Assistance From Russia," CNS China Profiles database.
[2] Michael R. Gordon, "Moscow Is Selling Weapons to China, US Officials Say," New York Times, 18 October 1992, pp. 1, 14.
[3] Alan George, "China Uses Russian Know-How On ICBM," Flight International, 22 December 1993, p. 5.
[4 ]"Moscow Denies Selling Beijing Advanced Arms," Washington Times, 20 October 1992, p. A2.
[5] ITAR-TASS, 22 October 1992; in "Itar-Tass Notes PRC Denial of Russian Weapons Purchase," Proliferation Issues, 23 October 1992, p. 10.
[6] Yomiuri Shimbun, 9 October 1992, p. 5.
[7] Aleksey Rey and Konstantin Makiyenko, "O kontraktakh v Aviakosmicheskoy i voyenno-tekhnicheskoy sfere mezhdu Rossiyey i KNR," Yadernyy Kontrol, Vol.40, No.4, July-August 1998, pp. 82-86. {updated 4/14/99 FW}

Page last updated 29 April 1999

This material is produced independently for NTI by the Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Monterey Institute of International Studies and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of and has not been independently verified by NTI or its directors, officers, employees, agents. Copyright © 2002 by MIIS.

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