Tel Aviv: The Chinese YJ-20 missile is a newly revealed advanced weapon system, first seen publicly during rehearsals for China’s 2025 Victory Day Parade. It stands out in the recent lineup of Chinese missiles. Israeli senior experts analysed the data about the missile available on open sources and concluded that it may pose a real challenge to US naval forces.
The US and Israel are exchanging intelligence related to the possible supply of weapon systems and related technologies from China to Iran. According to defence sources, there is growing evidence that China has started or is getting ready to give Iran weapons and materials connected to missiles, possibly including direct arms shipments and missile component supplies
The experts claim that the YJ-20 is renowned for its hybrid design. It seems to blend the mid-course manoeuvrability of aerodynamic glide vehicles with elements of conventional ballistic missile speed. Because of this, its flight path is unpredictable, making interceptions more difficult.
The YJ-20 is referred to by experts as a potential “carrier killer” because of its capacity to target both land-based infrastructure and large naval vessels, such as US aircraft carriers. Given its adaptability, it might be a key component of China’s anti-access/area denial strategy, especially in the Pacific.
Although the YJ-20’s precise specifications are not entirely available to the public, open-source analysis indicates that it travels at hypersonic (over Mach 5) speeds. Like the Xingkong-2 hypersonic vehicle and the previous YJ-21, it might use scramjet technology or sophisticated rocket propulsion.
The missile may be launched from sophisticated Chinese warships (such the Type 055 destroyer) as well as other platforms like submarines or land-based launchers because it is thought to be compatible with vertical launch systems (VLS). More strategic flexibility is made possible by this.
The YJ-20 presents a significant threat to US Navy operations in the Indo-Pacific because of its hybrid trajectory, speed, and mobility, which are intended to circumvent contemporary missile defenses. It is a flexible and powerful addition to China’s missile arsenal due to its multi-platform compatibility and capacity to hit both land and sea targets.
-The writer is an Israel-based freelance journalist. The views expressed are of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of Raksha Anirveda
