Second Artillery Corps (China)
The Second Artillery Corps (SAC) (simplified Chinese: 第二炮兵部队; traditional Chinese: 第二砲兵部隊; pinyin: Dì èr pàobīng bùduì) is the strategic missile forces of the People's Republic of China. The SAC is the component of the People's Liberation Army that controls China's nuclear ballistic and conventional missiles. China's total nuclear arsenal size is estimated to range between 240 nuclear weapons to as many as 3,000 warheads hidden within an extensive tunnel system referred to as an "underground great wall", while retired Russian General Viktor Yesin estimates that China has 1,800 warheads, with 900 of them being deployed and the rest in reserve. The SAC comprises approximately 90,000-120,000 personnel and six ballistic missile brigades. The six brigades are independently deployed in different military regions throughout the country.
The Second Artillery Corps was established on 1 July 1966 and made its first public appearance on 1 October 1984. The headquarters for operations is located at Qinghe, Beijing. Second Artillery Corps is under the direct command of the Chinese Central Military Commission.
Read more about Second Artillery Corps (China): History, Missile Ranges
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