YJ-12 supersonic anti-ship cruise missile
Overview
The YJ-12 ("Eagle Strike 12") is China's premier supersonic anti-ship cruise missile and one of the most dangerous threats to surface warships in the Western Pacific. Where most cruise missiles fly subsonic, the YJ-12 sprints at Mach 3–4, sea-skimming toward its target, compressing the defender's reaction time to seconds and stressing even the best fleet air-defence systems. It is fielded in several flavours to maximise launch geometry: the air-launched baseline carried by H-6 bombers (giving a stand-off reach reported up to ~400 km), the YJ-12A for surface ships, and the YJ-12B coastal-defence variant deployed on militarised South China Sea features. This multi-domain basing lets China threaten a carrier strike group from the air, the sea and the shore simultaneously. For an analyst, the YJ-12 is the high-speed half of China's anti-ship one-two punch — paired with ballistic weapons like the DF-21D, it forces defenders to cope with both diving hypersonic ballistic threats and low, fast cruise missiles at once. Its speed is its strength and its limit: terminal velocity gives little warning, but the missile is detectable on launch and vulnerable to layered, networked defences if they can react fast enough.
Deployment Map
Home ports from known hull assignments. Operating areas reflect typical AORs — individual deployments will vary.
Timeline
Specifications
Doctrine & Employment
Role
Supersonic anti-ship cruise missile to overwhelm fleet defences with speed from air, sea and shore.
Design Philosophy
Speed to compress the defender's reaction window to seconds.
Employment
Sea-skimming Mach 3–4 terminal sprint, launched in saturation salvos from multiple domains.
Threat Context
The high-speed cruise half of China's anti-ship complex alongside ballistic ASBMs.
How to Compare
Read against the subsonic-but-longer YJ-18 and the stealthy LRASM.
Operational Patterns
Typical Deployment
Saturation anti-ship strikes from bombers, ships and coastal batteries against surface task groups.
Typical Task Group
Air-launched from H-6 under fighter and AEW&C cover; coastal and ship batteries layered.
Readiness
Widely fielded across PLA services.
Key Operating Areas
Peer Comparison Matrix
YJ-18 cruises subsonic for range then sprints supersonic in the terminal phase; YJ-12 is supersonic throughout but shorter-ranged.
Video angle: China's two anti-ship cruise missiles compared.
Russian supersonic/hypersonic ASCMs with similar high-speed terminal philosophy.
Video angle: Supersonic anti-ship missiles East vs West.
LRASM is subsonic and stealthy with autonomous targeting — survivability over speed.
Video angle: Speed vs stealth in killing ships.
Combat History
YJ-12B coastal batteries assessed as deployed to South China Sea features.
Extended a supersonic anti-ship threat over contested sea lanes.
Known Vulnerabilities
Detectability
High-altitude cruise and launch are detectable before the terminal sprint.
Context: Networked air defence with early warning can cue interceptors.
Mitigation: Sea-skimming terminal phase and saturation salvos.
Range trade-off
Supersonic flight burns energy, limiting range versus subsonic missiles.
Context: Shorter reach than the subsonic YJ-18/Tomahawk class.
Mitigation: Air-launch from H-6 extends stand-off range.
Variants
| Variant | Designation | Years | Count | Status | Key Changes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| YJ-12 (air-launched) | — | 2015– | — | active | Baseline carried by H-6 bombers |
| YJ-12A / YJ-12B | — | 2016– | — | active | Ship-launched and coastal-defence variants |
Modernization Programmes
Multi-domain proliferation
Air, ship and coastal variants fielded across PLA services.
Impact: Saturates a target area with simultaneous supersonic threats.
Images
Frequently Asked
When was the first YJ-12 supersonic anti-ship cruise missile commissioned?
The first YJ-12 supersonic anti-ship cruise missile entered service in 2015.
Who builds the YJ-12 supersonic anti-ship cruise missile?
The YJ-12 supersonic anti-ship cruise missile is built by China Aerospace Science and Industry Corp. (CASIC).
What variants of the YJ-12 supersonic anti-ship cruise missile exist?
Known variants include: YJ-12 (air-launched), YJ-12A / YJ-12B.
Curated Research
recommended
Authoritative profile
reference
Variants and performance
Watch YJ-12 supersonic anti-ship cruise missile in Action
Iron Command produces in-depth comparison and analysis videos for military equipment.
Watch on YouTube