The B-611 is a Chinese short-range, road-mobile, ballistic missile. Development reportedly started in 1995, and Turkey may have cooperated with China to develop this system. Turkey has a similar missile known as Yildirim, J-600T or Project J.
The concept behind the B-611 was to design a missile that was inexpensive, but would be difficult to intercept with ballistic missile defense or anti-missile countermeasures. The B-611 is believed to have two pop-out wings and four fixed tail fins that give it the ability to maneuver during flight to avoid interceptors. The missile may have laser-gyro guidance with updates from GPS or Glonass.
Test launch of B-611.
Jane’s Strategic Weapon Systems
The B-611 has a length of 6.0 m, a body diameter of .4 m, and a launch weight of 1,200 kg. It carries a single 480 kg HE fragmentation warhead, or submunitions. It uses a solid propellant engine that can reach a maximum range of 150 km. Its accuracy is estimated to be in between 75 to 150 m CEP.The first B-611 flight test was reported in 2001 and the missile became operational in 2004. The B-611 is expected to eventually replace the CSS-8 (M-7). An improved version has since been developed and is designated B-611M.
B-611M
- The original B-611 has a range of 150 km, whereas the B-611M range has been increased to 260 km. Additionally, the accuracy is reported to be 50 m, about twice as accurate as the B-611.
- The B-611M has a length of 6.8 m, a body diameter of .605 m, and a launch weight of 2,185 kg. The same payload weight in the B-611 is used in the B-611M, but the warhead type can be HE fragmentation, Fuel-Air Explosive (FAE), or anti-armor submunitions.
- It is believed that the B-611M became operational in 2007. 1
- Lennox, Duncan. “B-611 (CSS-11)” Jane’s Strategic Weapon Systems (Offensive Weapons). August 3, 2012. (accessed September 12, 2012). ↩
