China's 'nuclear missile on train' plan: Advantages, dangers, history explained

In a significant augmentation of China's nuclear weapons programme, the country is reportedly exploring the option of firing nuclear missiles from trains.

The Chinese government reportedly funded a committee of experts to look into the feasibility of using trains as a platform for nuclear weapons, as per a report by The Eurasian Times.

The committee reportedly published its findings recently, saying that high-speed trains are better than heavy-haul railways to deliver nuclear missiles. Military experts have reportedly opined that trains carrying nuclear missiles would have a higher chance of surviving a first strike by an enemy nation, as compared to trucks and silos.

Trains would also be able to carry the same number of nuclear warheads as submarines.

The shockwave from the launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile can go up to 8 metres deep. Therefore, the stronger foundations of high-speed trains help. Tracks for high-speed trains are laid and fixed on concrete, and some of them have supporting structures up to 60 m deep. Additionally, most of the damage from a launch would be in shallow areas where it would be easier to fix. However, some dangers do exist.

An ICBM missile launch create a thrust which would be two to four times the maximum load-bearing capacity of the train. This physical stress would then travel to the tracks and the foundation, damaging them. The tracks would become unsafe and unusable until they are repaired. Also, low-frequency vibrations from the launcher can damage the rail infrastructure. China is not the first country to explore the option of a train-based missile platform.

In the 1980s, the Soviet Union developed the RT-23 Molodets ICBM which could reportedly fit inside a standard train carriage. It could carry ten 550-kiloton nuclear warheads, and strike targets up to 6,800 km away.

Recently, North Korea claimed to have test-fired a short-range ballistic missile from a train. These tests were reportedly conducted in September last year, and January this year.

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