The WS21200 is a large

transporter erector launcher A transporter erector launcher (TEL) is a missile vehicle with an integrated tractor unit that can carry, elevate to firing position and launch one or more missiles. History Such vehicles exist for both surface-to-air missiles and surface-to-su ...

built and developed in the

People's Republic of China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...

. Like the

WS51200 The WS51200 is an extremely large and heavy transporter erector launcher built by Wanshan Special Vehicle in China. The WS51200 is one of the largest in the WS family of transport trucks and TELs. The size of the WS51200 allows it to carry inter ...

, the WS21200 is not actually used by the

People's Liberation Army Rocket Force The People's Liberation Army Rocket Force (PLARF; ), formerly the Second Artillery Corps (), is the strategic and tactical missile force of the People's Republic of China. The PLARF is the 4th branch of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and ...

, instead, the primary customer is

Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...

. The WS21200 along with the WS51200, is one of the larger TELs developed by the

Wanshan Special Vehicle Wanshan Special Vehicle, officially Hubei Sanjiang Space Wanshan Special Vehicle Co., Ltd (Ch:湖北三江航天万山特种车辆有限公司), is a truck and bus manufacturer in China. Its WS-series military trucks are used by the People’s Liber ...

. The size of the WS21200 allows it to carry

ICBM An intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) is a ballistic missile with a range greater than , primarily designed for nuclear weapons delivery (delivering one or more thermonuclear warheads). Conventional, chemical, and biological weapons c ...

s, however, the technological limitations of Pakistan has forced the WS21200 to mount

medium-range ballistic missile A medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM) is a type of ballistic missile with medium range, this last classification depending on the standards of certain organizations. Within the U.S. Department of Defense, a medium-range missile is defined by ...

s such as the

Shaheen-III The Shaheen-III (Urdu: ; lit. ''White Falcon-III'') is a Pakistani land-based surface-to-surface medium range ballistic missile, which was test fired for the first time by military service on 9 March 2015. Development began in secrecy in the ear ...

Description

The Wanshan WS21200 is a Chinese/Pakistani 16x16 road-mobile TEL with a payload capacity of 80 tons thanks to the Cummins KTTA19-C700 turbocharged diesel engine. The 700 horsepower engine allows the WS21200 to drive at respectable speeds with a maximum range of 1000 km. Moreover, it grants the WS21200 some cross-country capabilities, further bolstering its mobility and evasiveness. Similar to its

North Korea North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and shares borders with China and Russia to the north, at the Yalu River, Y ...

n sister counterpart, the WS51200, the WS21200 is used primarily by the Pakistani Air Force Strategic Command, which aims at improving Islamabad's nuclear first and second strike capabilities. Although it could theoretically mount an ICBM, Pakistan's limited resources in nuclear and ballistic missile technology and capability, means that the full potential for the WS21200 is regulated in carrying the Shaheen-III and Shaheen-II MRBMs.

Operators

Current operators

Pakistan is the sole and current operator of the WS21200.

Former operators

While not an operator, China is the chief manufacturer of the WS21200 TEL.

References

{{Reflist Weapons of Pakistan Military trucks of China Military vehicles of the People's Republic of China Military vehicles of Pakistan

Description

Operators

Current operators

Former operators

See also

References