YJ-21 hypersonic anti-ship missile
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Overview
The YJ-21 is China's ship- and air-launched hypersonic anti-ship missile — a weapon that brings hypersonic, manoeuvring terminal attack to the fleet and the bomber force rather than only to land-based launchers. It burst into public view in 2022 when the PLA Navy released footage of a YJ-21 being fired from a Type 055 destroyer, and an air-launched version is associated with the H-6 bomber. Reported performance places it in the anti-ship ballistic/hypersonic class: a boosted missile that descends and manoeuvres in its terminal phase at very high speed — figures cited run to Mach 6 and above — to defeat shipboard defences and strike high-value targets such as carriers. Range estimates vary widely (often cited around 1,000–1,500 km), and as with all such systems the headline numbers should be treated with caution. For an analyst, the YJ-21's importance is that it puts a hypersonic anti-ship weapon on mobile, survivable platforms — a 12,000-tonne cruiser-sized destroyer and a long-range bomber — rather than only on fixed or land-mobile launchers. That mobility complicates targeting of the launcher and extends the geometry from which a carrier can be threatened, deepening the anti-access problem the U.S. Navy must solve.
Deployment Map
Home ports from known hull assignments. Operating areas reflect typical AORs — individual deployments will vary.
Timeline
Specifications
Doctrine & Employment
Role
Ship- and air-launched hypersonic anti-ship missile for striking high-value naval targets such as carriers.
Design Philosophy
Put the carrier-killer threat on mobile, survivable platforms.
Employment
Fired from Type 055 VLS or H-6 bombers; manoeuvring hypersonic terminal attack to defeat fleet defences.
Threat Context
Extends China's anti-ship hypersonic threat beyond fixed land launchers, complicating U.S. carrier operations.
How to Compare
Read against the land-based DF-21D and Russia's ship-launched Zircon.
Operational Patterns
Typical Deployment
Hypersonic anti-ship strike from Type 055 destroyers and H-6 bombers against high-value naval targets.
Typical Task Group
Type 055 surface action groups; bomber raids under fighter cover.
Readiness
Recently fielded; expanding integration.
Key Operating Areas
Peer Comparison Matrix
DF-21D is land-launched; the YJ-21 puts a comparable anti-ship hypersonic capability on mobile ships and bombers.
Video angle: China takes the carrier-killer to sea.
Zircon is a ship/sub-launched hypersonic cruise missile; the YJ-21 is a boosted manoeuvring anti-ship weapon.
Video angle: Russian and Chinese ship-launched hypersonics.
The U.S. relies on subsonic stealthy and dual-role weapons rather than ship-launched hypersonic ASBMs.
Video angle: How the US Navy answers the hypersonic anti-ship threat.
Combat History
PLA Navy released footage of a YJ-21 launched from a Type 055-class destroyer.
Public confirmation of a ship-launched hypersonic anti-ship weapon.
Known Vulnerabilities
Unverified performance
Range, accuracy and terminal seeker performance are not independently confirmed.
Context: Open-source figures vary widely; treat as estimates.
Mitigation: (N/A — assessment caveat.)
Kill-chain dependency
Long-range anti-ship use still relies on detecting and cueing a moving target.
Context: ISR disruption degrades the threat.
Mitigation: Networked sensors and platform mobility.
Variants
| Variant | Designation | Years | Count | Status | Key Changes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| YJ-21 (ship-launched) | — | 2022– | — | active | Fired from Type 055 universal VLS |
| YJ-21 (air-launched) | — | 2022– | — | active | Carried by H-6 bombers |
Modernization Programmes
Fleet integration
Integration across Type 055 destroyers and the bomber force.
Impact: Puts mobile hypersonic anti-ship strike on survivable platforms.
Images
Frequently Asked
When was the first YJ-21 hypersonic anti-ship missile commissioned?
The first YJ-21 hypersonic anti-ship missile entered service in 2022.
Who builds the YJ-21 hypersonic anti-ship missile?
The YJ-21 hypersonic anti-ship missile is built by China Aerospace Science and Industry Corp. (CASIC).
What variants of the YJ-21 hypersonic anti-ship missile exist?
Known variants include: YJ-21 (ship-launched), YJ-21 (air-launched).
Curated Research
recommended
Open-source naval analysis
reference
Basing and reported performance
Watch YJ-21 hypersonic anti-ship missile in Action
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