YJ-18

The YJ-18 (Chinese: 鹰击-18; pinyin: yingji-18; lit. 'eagle strike 18', NATO designation CH-SS-NX-13[5]) is a Chinese family of anti-ship and land attack cruise missiles.[1]

YJ-18
TypeAnti-ship cruise missile
Land attack cruise missile[1]
Place of originPeople's Republic of China
Service history
In service2015-present[2]
Used byPeople's Liberation Army Navy
Specifications
Warhead140–300 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

Description

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;[6] the missile is credited with a range of 290 nautical miles (330 mi; 540 km),[7] 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;[5][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.[8]

The missile can be launched from vertical launching systems,[9] and possibly from submarine torpedo tubes.[5] 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.[10]

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.[7][3] A land-based version could replace the subsonic 400 km (250 mi; 220 nmi)-range YJ-62 with shore batteries.[3][5]

Variants
  • 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.[11]
  • 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

Related development

Comparable missiles

References
  1. New Mobile Coastal Variant of YJ-18 Supersonic Anti-Ship Missile Spotted in China - Navyrecognition.com, 5 August 2015
  2. Pilger: China’s New YJ-18 Antiship Cruise Missile, p.2
  3. Pilger: China’s New YJ-18 Antiship Cruise Missile, p.3
  4. Tate, Andrew (3 July 2018). "China launches two Type 055 destroyers simultaneously in Dalian". Janes. Archived from the original on 4 July 2018. Retrieved 5 July 2018.
  5. Gormley, Dennis M.; Erickson, Andrew S.; Yuan, Jingdong (30 September 2014). "A Potent Vector: Assessing Chinese Cruise Missile Developments". Joint Forces Quarterly. National Defense University (75): 102. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
  6. United States Office of the Secretary of Defense: Annual Report To Congress 2015, p.46
  7. United States Office of the Secretary of Defense: Annual Report To Congress 2015, p.10
  8. Submarine-Launched Variant of China's YJ-18 Supersonic Anti-Ship Missile Emerges - Navyrecognition.com, 2 October 2017
  9. United States Navy Office of Naval Intelligence: The PLA Navy, p.16
  10. "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.
  11. https://freebeacon.com/national-security/china-building-long-range-cruise-missile-launched-from-ship-container/
Bibliography

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