The CDMF deploys mobile land-based short- and medium-range missiles[1] supporting territorial defense and regional power projection.

[2] The limited Chinese economy and strength of the PLAN fleet through much of the 20th century made coastal defense reliant on land-based systems.

In response, the Central Military Commission issued an order in July 1950 to establish a Coastal Artillery School.

On 24 December 1958, the first shore-to-ship missiles were introduced from the Soviet Union, the SSC-2B "Samlet"[8] Coastal artillery were engaged during the Second Taiwan Strait Crisis.

[9] PLANCDF units were integrated into the PLAN multi-domain operations by receiving targeting data from non-PLANCDF radars.

[10] The PLANCDF's coastal defense mission remained significant through the 1990s,[3] after which the increasing capability of the other PLA branches to conduct extended operations at long-range made it less important.

[9] The PLANCDF continued to upgrade its weapons and equipment to enable longer-range fires in joint PLA operations.

[9] Protected underground facilities are common at modern barracks to reduce vulnerability to preemptive strikes and counterattack.