China shows off unknown missile on Type 055 destroyer
China released a video showing a test-fire of a mysterious missile, thought to be YJ-21, from one of its huge Type 055 destroyers. Military analysts believe that the rare and daring show of power is a warning to the U.S. and its allies to stay away from Taiwan.
The footage, which went viral on Chinese social media, showed the weapon being cold-launched and then boosted into the air. The payload has a long conical-like shape with small fins at its base, reported The Drive.
Defense analysts like H I Sutton believe that the missile is a YJ 21, or Eagle Strike 21 hypersonic missile that can be carried by ships or warplanes, despite the fact that there is no official confirmation about the weapon used. Sutton believes that the missile is dubbed a carrier killer due to its massive hitting power. The U.S. Department of Defense said that China may put anti-ship ballistic missiles on its new cruisers.
The YJ 21 s is estimated to have a range from 1,000 to 1,500 km 600 to 930 miles and its deployment on the Type 055 destroyer makes the PLA Navy cruiser one of the most heavily armed surface combatants in the world.
The missile appears to have used a thinner, more elongated, conical maneuvering re-entry vehicle compared to the one found on the YJ-21, and experts believe that the design is modified to fit inside the tight confines of the ship's Vertical Launch System cells. Type 055 has 112 vertical launch cells and is a multi-pole warship with air-defense, anti-missile, anti-ship and anti-submarine weapons.
This is the first time that China has released such footage. According to the Beijing-based naval analyst Li Jie, arming Type 055 s with YJ-21 missiles was intended to deter foreign ships from getting involved in an attack on Taiwan. Li told South China Morning Post that the matching of Type 55 and YJ-21 missiles was designed for anti-access and area-denial to counter America's maritime hegemony in the region.
Zhou Chenming, a researcher from the Yuan Wang military science and technology think tank in Beijing, agrees. He thinks the unprecedented demonstration is aimed at warning both Washington and Taipei that the PLA has many options for anti-access and area-denial strategy.
The unlimited U.S. military assistance to Ukraine and a recent American congressional group tour to Taiwan could make Taipei believe Washington may provide the same help in the event of a conflict between the mainland and Taiwan, Zhou said.