Independent Working Group Report: Missile Defense, the Space Relationship, and the Twenty-First Century. »»
August 30, 2008
IWG Report 2007
Independent Working Group Report: Missile Defense, the Space Relationship, and the Twenty-First Century. »»
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YJ-2
| Country: | People's Republic of China |
|---|---|
| Alternate Name: | Eagle Strike, CSS-N-8 Saccade |
| Class: | S/LLCM |
| Target: | Ship |
| Length: | 6.39 m |
| Launch Weight: | 715.00 kg |
| Payload: | 165 kg HE |
| Propulsion: | Turbojet w/ solid booster |
| Range: | 120.00 km |
| Guidance: | INS, active radar |
| Status: | Operational |
| In Service: | 1994-Present |
| Exported: | Iran, Pakistan |
Details
The Ying Ji-2 (YJ-2) is a short-range, solid propellant, single warhead cruise missile developed and manufactured by the People’s Republic of China. Ground-, ship-, submarine-, and air-launched versions exist.
China started development of the YJ-1 (CSS-N-4 “Sardine”) in the mid-1970s, although it did not reveal the missile until 1984. The system was initially intended as a ship- and ground-launched defense against ships, although submarine- and air-launched versions were also developed. The YJ-2 (NATO: CSSC-8 or CSS-N-8 “Saccade”) is a longer range variant of the YJ-1. Development of the YJ-2 began in 1985, and was initially based on small turbojet technology stolen from U.S. BQM-34 Firebee drones recovered by the Chinese. This technology was later supplemented by auxiliary power units imported for use on civil aircraft programs.
Ship-launched YJ-2 missiles have been deployed aboard “Luda” (Type 3) and “Luhu” (Type 052) class destroyers, and “Jianghu 3 and 4” (Type 053 HT) and “Jianwei 1 and 2” (Type 053 H2G and 053) frigates. Submarine-launched versions have been deployed aboard “Song” class (Type 039) and “Han” class (Type 091) submarines, while the air-launched versions have been deployed aboard Su-27, Su-30MKK, Q-5, and JH-7 aircraft and the CHAIC Z-8 helicopter. The ground-launched versions are deployed on wheeled Transporter-Erector-Launcher (TEL) vehicles, each of which is capable of carrying three missiles in its canisters.
The YJ-2 is similar in appearance to the French MM-38 “Exocet.” The missile has four delta-shaped wings at mid-body and four triangular moving control fins at the rear. The ground- and ship-launched versions are 6.39 m long and have a launch weight of 715 kg including the 160 kg tandem booster rocket. The air-launched version, which does not have a booster rocket, is 5.3 m long and has a launch weight of 555 kg.
On the YJ-2, the solid-propellant sustainer motor of the YJ-1 was replaced with a turbojet engine to give it a longer range. The turbojet engine requires an air inlet scoop located beneath between the central wings. The missile has a cruise speed of Mach 0.85, and cruises at either 20 or 30 m, followed in the terminal phase by a descent to between 5 and 7 m. In the terminal phase, the missile is guided by an active radar. The ship- or ground-launched versions have a minimum range of 15 km and a maximum range of 120km, and the air-launched version has a maximum range of 130 km.
The YJ-2 was first tested in 1990, and completed development in 1993. Reports from 1994 indicated that an increased range YJ-2 was in development designated the YJ-21. The YJ-21 is believed to have a maximum range of 180 km and is also believed to have a land attack capability using an inertial navigation system/GPS guidance system. The YJ-21 may have entered service in 1998, and there were two test launches made in May and July 2001. A second development, the YJ-22, was reported in 1997 with an increased range of 400 km. Experts believe that the system’s versatility means that it will remain in service for many years.
China has also offered the YJ-2 for export under the designation C-802A for the ground- or ship-launched version and C-802K for the air-launched version. Reports from 1995 indicated that Iran had ordered 100 C-802 missiles, which were subsequently test launched in early 1996 from ground sites and deployed aboard fast attack craft. Recent reports have suggested that Iran has been manufacturing YJ-2 missiles, under the project name “Tondar.” In July 2006, Hezbollah terrorists attacked Israel’s INS Hanit Eilat-class missile corvette with two Iranian-made C-802 cruise missiles.
China is also believed to have exported C-802 missiles to Pakistan for deployment aboard their “Jalalat 2” fast attack crafts, each of which is capable of carrying four missiles.(1)
Footnotes
- Duncan Lennox, ed., Jane’s Strategic Weapons Systems 45 (Surrey: Jane’s Information Group, January 2006) pp. 30-32; Global Security.Org, “C-802 / YJ-2 / Ying Ji-802 / CSS-C-8 / SACCADE C-8xx / YJ-22 / YJ-82,” available at http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/china/c-802.htm, accessed on July 1, 2006.
