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Current Affairs

Does China’s YJ-20 hypersonic sea-based missile give Beijing an edge over US carriers?

The YJ-20 is China’s first sea-based hypersonic anti-ship missile to have entered mass production, giving the People’s Liberation Army a decisive strike advantage over all…

By Samantha Johnson / May 6, 2026
The YJ-20 is China’s first sea-based hypersonic anti-ship missile to have entered mass production, giving the People’s Liberation Army a decisive strike advantage over all rival surface combatants worldwide.
The YJ-20, with its remarkable range, hypersonic speed and near-invulnerability to interception, has been tailor-made for the Chinese navy’s Type 055 destroyer’s 112-cell vertical launch system (VLS).

Specifications

Also known as the Eagle Strike-20, the YJ-20 adopted the boost-glide flight regime and is highly manoeuvrable, with a distinctive biconic body design.

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With an estimated length of a little under 9 metres (30 feet) and a diameter of less than 850mm (33.5 inches), the missile is tailored for the HT-1 VLS on both the Type 055 and modified Type 052D vessels.

At this size, the YJ-20 is estimated to have a range of 1,000 to 1,500km (621 to 932 miles) and is believed to be capable of sinking a large surface combatant – even an aircraft carrier – with a single hit, combining both kinetic penetration and warhead detonation.

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