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Naval
Forces News - China |
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New
Mobile Coastal Variant of YJ-18 Supersonic Anti-Ship Missile Spotted
in China |
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Images
have emerged on the Chinese internet showing what seems to be a mobile
coastal variant of the YJ-18 (YingJi-18 or Eagle/Hawk-18) vertically-launched,
long-range, supersonic, anti-ship missile. Two types of vehicles are
shown in the recent pictures: a 12x12 chassis acting as the transporter
erector launcher (TEL) vehicle and a smaller 8x8 chassis that could
be the transporter/reloader vehicle (or a different missile as the canisters
appear to be quite smaller than on the 12x12). The missile launched from the 12x12 vehicle seems quite large, but one has to remember that a shore based anti-ship variant of YJ-18 could be fitted with a larger booster to increase its range. |
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 New
YJ-18 12x12 TEL vehicle moving in firing position |
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If this vehicle is confirmed to be a YJ-18 launcher,
this would be the fourth variant of the YJ-18 anti-ship missile family.
It would join the:
- YJ-18 which is the original variant: A surface (ship) launched land attack cruise missile - YJ-18A which is a vertically launched (from VLS) surface to surface anti-ship missile, currently fitted aboard Type 052D destroyers of the PLAN (and likely present on the future Type 055 destroyers). - YJ-18B which the submarine launched variant The extact designation of the new land-based variant of the YJ-18 is currently unknown. |
Chinese media claim the YJ-18 system is designed for
the destruction of various surface ships from an enemy’s landing
squadrons, convoys, carrier strike groups, as well as single vessels and
land-based radiocontrast targets in conditions of intensive fire and electronic
countermeasures.
After the vertical launch the missile’s turbojet engine is capable of flying at a cruise speed of Mach 0.8 for about 180 kilometers after that point the warhead section separates and a solid rocket engine ignites allowing at a top speed of Mach 2.5-3 for about 40 kilometers. Because of these flight characteristics, some Western analysts believe the YJ-18 is based on the Russian Klub 3M-54E. According to Chinese sources, the missile can maneuver at 10G acceleration to avoid enemy interception by air-to-air or surface-air missiles. |
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YJ-18A test launch video |
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The above video shows a YJ-18A test launch from one
of the two Type 909 test ship of the PLAN. These vessels can be fitted
with various weapon and sensor systems and serve as test beds for the
PLAN's future systems.
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