The YJ-18C, a subsonic land-attack cruise missile first revealed in Beijing’s September 3 Victory Day military parade, has the potential to be repurposed for anti-ship use, according to an analysis in Shipborne Weapons Defence Review.
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By sacrificing speed for improved stealth, extended range and simpler manufacturing, the YJ-18C offered a cost-effective way to arm the People’s Liberation Army’s “second tier” assets or even converted civilian platforms, it noted.
Such features were suited to the role of “transport ship killer”, targeting the critical weakness of US logistics in a high-intensity conflict, the article said.
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“While we should not overestimate its penetration capability against modern, heavily defended surface task forces, it could prove highly effective against lightly defended targets such as transport ships and supply vessels,” it said.
