What did the declassified documents reveal?

U.S. intelligence report on Chinese missile and space launcher system designators, August nineteen eighty‑five. This five‑page document, originally produced by the Central Intelligence Agency, appears in the public archive of The Black Vault, a repository for declassified government records. The record was released to the public through a Freedom of Information Act request filed with the Central Intelligence Agency. The Black Vault posted the full text on August twenty‑second, two thousand twenty‑two, citing the original declassification authority as the CIA’s Office of Information Management. The document is accessible online at archive dot org under the identifier CI02266. The report begins with a preface and a table of contents, then proceeds to list the designators used by the People’s Republic of China for its missile and space launch systems. The introductory section reads: “Director of [e) Le . oc! il Wer Waszs ~f= 468 on om om ew ene Missile and Space Launcher System Designators August 1985 … the tec meter ee TABLE OF CONTENTS PREFACE. © 2 2 ee eee eee eet ee ee ew ee te ew ow Bb CONTENTS… - ee eae oe eee ew ee eo we ow w Abd INTRODUCTION. 2 2. we ee ee eee eee ee we eee ene Lb SOVIET MISSILE SYSTEM DESIGNATORS. . 2. 1 se ee eee 3 Surface-to-Surface Ballistic Missile Systems ..... 3 Sea‑Launched Cruise and Ballistic Missile Systems. 6 Land‑Launched Cruise Missile Systems .” The core of the document is a series of tables that assign alphanumeric designators, nicknames, types, and brief comments to each Chinese system. The first table, titled “CHINESE MISSILE SYSTEM DESIGNATORS,” lists the following entries: “CSS‑S‑1 None wREX Transportable, single‑stage, torable cr: liquid propellents. CSS‑S‑2 None IRBy Transportable, single‑stage, storable liq propellants. Single RV. CSS‑S‑3 None Icy Two‑stage, storable liquid propellants. Single RV. CSS‑S‑4 None 1cBx Two‑stage, storable liquid propellants. Single RY.” The sea‑launched cruise and ballistic missile systems are identified as: “CSS‑N‑1 None Antiship Chinese version of SS‑N‑2 (STYX). Use radar for terminal guidance. CSS‑N‑2 None Antiship missile. One of CSS‑N‑1, adsr for nce. Carried by Luta‑class destroyers. CSS‑NX‑3 None SLBM Two‑stage, solid propellant. Single RV.” Land‑launched cruise missile systems appear as: “CSS‑C‑1 None GLH Coastal Defense. Essentially the same as the Soviet SSC‑2b (SA‑MELTS). CSS‑C‑2 SILKWORM GLCM = Coastal Defense. Identical to CSS‑N‑2 coastal defense missile.” Air‑to‑air systems are listed with their Soviet origins: “CAA‑1a None AM Soviet version of the Soviet IR‑guided AA‑2a, longer range. CAA‑1b Kone AAM Chinese‑produced version of Soviet IR‑guided AA‑2b. Launched from F‑6 and F‑7 aircraft.” Air‑to‑surface and anti‑tank systems follow: “SAS‑X‑2 Kens Rens ANTI‑TANK SYSTEMS CAT‑1 None ATOM Chinese Soviet AT‑38.” Surface‑to‑air systems include: “CSA‑1 None GIN SLING (S) Chinese prefaced version of the Soviet CSA‑X‑2. CSA‑KX‑1 None Naval version of X‑2. Carried by…

Why was this case declassified?

This material entered the public record through the U.S. declassification and Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) process. The originating source document is linked on this page so the citation chain is auditable.

Case File · ARCHIVE-973Declassified

Filed AUG 2 · 2026Runtime 3 min

Declassified CIA File

U.S. public record · FOIAUpdated August 2, 2026

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◆ BLUF — The short version

S. intelligence report on Chinese missile and space launcher system designators, August nineteen eighty‑five. This five‑page document, originally produced by the Central Intelligence Agency, appears in the public archive of The Black Vault, a repository for declassified government records. The record was released to the public through a Freedom of Information Act request filed with the Central Intelligence Agency.

Date: AUG 2 · 2026
Release: Declassified · U.S. public record (FOIA)
Source document: View the primary source document

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U.S. intelligence report on Chinese missile and space launcher system designators, August nineteen eighty‑five. This five‑page document, originally produced by the Central Intelligence Agency, appears in the public archive of The Black Vault, a repository for declassified government records. The…

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Questions about this case

What was Declassified CIA File about?: S. intelligence report on Chinese missile and space launcher system designators, August nineteen eighty‑five. This five‑page document, originally produced by the Central Intelligence Agency, appears in the public archive of The Black Vault, a repository for declassified government records. The record was released to the public through a Freedom of Information Act request filed with the Central Intelligence Agency.
Why was this case declassified?: This material entered the public record through the U.S. declassification and Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) process. Storyflo narrates it directly from the public release.

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