The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is likely to begin construction of a potential ICBM silo site in Hanggin Banner, Ordos City, Inner Mongolia since May this year.
Sentinel-2 images from the European Space Agency reveal a construction footprint similar to known PLA ICBM silo construction sites at Jilantai, Guazhou, and Hami.
Based on similarities in footprint, excavation patterns, and dome shelters as well as the rapid growth of PLA Rocket Force (PLARF) fixed systems, it is likely that the Hanggin Banner construction site is an ICBM silo site.
There are at least 15 possible silo construction sites in the northern cluster, and at least 14 in the southern cluster. Of the 29 identified sites, 13 have dome shelters.
Hanggin Banner offers some advantages over the Guazhou and Hami ICBM sites for the PLA. Due to its proximity to multiple military fiber-optic nodes, the Hanggin Banner site provides improved resiliency when it comes to ground-based fiber-optic communications.
Additionally, it is closer to the PLARF’s central warhead handling and storage facility in Taibai County, Baoji, Shaanxi, which should make it easier for the PLARF to maintain warhead readiness at the Hanggin Banner site.
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