| YJ-18 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | Anti-ship cruise missile Land attack cruise missile Submarine-launched cruise missile[1] |
| Place of origin | People's Republic of China |
| Service history | |
| In service | 2015–present[2] |
| Used by | People's Liberation Army Navy |
| Specifications | |
| Warhead | 140–300 kg (310–660 lb) warhead[2] |
Operational range | 220–540 km (140–340 mi; 120–290 nmi) (anti-ship variant) |
| Maximum speed | Mach 0.8 (cruising) Mach 2.5–3.0 (terminal) (anti-ship variant) |
Guidance system | BeiDou Navigation Satellite System onboard radar seeker[3] |
Launch platform |
|
The YJ-18 (Chinese: 鹰击-18; pinyin: yingji-18; lit. 'eagle strike 18', NATO designation CH-SS-NX-13[4]) is a Chinese family of anti-ship and land attack cruise missiles.[1]
Description[edit]
The United States Department of Defense believes the YJ-18 is similar to the Russian 3M-54 Klub, with a subsonic cruise mode and a supersonic terminal attack;[5] the missile is credited with a range of 290 nautical miles (330 mi; 540 km),[6] which would give it a threat ring of 264,200 sq nmi (349,900 sq mi; 906,000 km2).[3] Some Western analysts believe the YJ-18 is a copy of the 3M-54E, with a cruising range of 180 km (110 mi; 97 nmi) at Mach 0.8 and a sprint range of 40 km (25 mi; 22 nmi) at Mach 2.5 to 3.0;[4][1] other sources claim the submarine-launched variant has a range of 500 km (310 mi; 270 nmi) with a terminal speed of Mach 2 while flying at a lower terminal altitude than the Russian Kalibr/Klub.[7]
The missile can be launched from vertical launching systems,[8] and possibly from submarine torpedo tubes.[4] Chinese media claims the missile has an inertial guidance system using BeiDou Navigation Satellite System data, and carries a 300 kg (660 lb) high-explosive warhead or an anti-radiation warhead to destroy electronics at short range.[9]
The YJ-18 is deployed aboard the Type 052D destroyer and the Type 055 destroyer. It may already be carried by the Shang II-class nuclear attack submarine outfitted with VLS cells, will replace the 20 nmi (23 mi; 37 km)-range YJ-82 aboard the Yuan-class air-independent propulsion (AIP) and Song-class diesel-electric submarines, will likely deploy on the Type 095 submarine, and may be capable of deployment on Kilo-class submarines.[6][3] A land-based version could replace the subsonic 400 km (250 mi; 220 nmi)-range YJ-62 with shore batteries.[3][4]
Variants[edit]
- YJ-18: Original land-attack variant launched from ships.[1]
- YJ-18A: Vertically-launched shipborne anti-ship variant, deployed aboard the Type 052D and Type 055 destroyers.[1]
- YJ-18B: Submarine-launched variant.[1]
- YJ-18C: Land-attack version launched from shipping containers similar to the Club-K missile system.[citation needed]
- Mobile Coastal Variant: Land-based version with unknown designation launched by 12×12 transporter erector launcher (TEL), possibly fitted with a larger booster for increased range.[1]
See also[edit]
Related development
Comparable missiles
References[edit]
- ^ a b Pilger: China’s New YJ-18 Antiship Cruise Missile, p.2
- ^ a b c d Pilger: China’s New YJ-18 Antiship Cruise Missile, p.3
- ^ a b c d Gormley, Dennis M.; Erickson, Andrew S.; Yuan, Jingdong (30 September 2014). "A Potent Vector: Assessing Chinese Cruise Missile Developments". Joint Forces Quarterly (75). National Defense University: 102. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
- ^ United States Office of the Secretary of Defense: Annual Report To Congress 2015, p.46
- ^ a b United States Office of the Secretary of Defense: Annual Report To Congress 2015, p.10
- ^ Submarine-Launched Variant of China's YJ-18 Supersonic Anti-Ship Missile Emerges - Navyrecognition.com, 2 October 2017
- ^ United States Navy Office of Naval Intelligence: The PLA Navy, p.16
- ^ "简氏称中国鹰击-18反舰导弹可"空中急拐弯"(图)". mil.news.sina.com.cn. 12 September 2013. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
- Bibliography
- Pilger, Michael (25 October 2015). China's New YJ-18 Antiship Cruise Missile: Capabilities and Implications for U.S. Forces in the Western Pacific (PDF) (Report). United States-China Economic and Security Review Commission. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 December 2016. Retrieved 16 December 2015.
- United States Navy Office of Naval Intelligence (2015). The PLA Navy: New Capabilities and Missions for the 21st Century (PDF) (Report). Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
- United States Office of the Secretary of Defense (8 May 2015). Annual Report To Congress: Military and Security Developments Involving the People's Republic of China 2015 (PDF) (Report). Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 May 2015. Retrieved 24 January 2015.