YJ-18

The YJ-18 is a Chinese anti-ship cruise missile.

Description

The United States believes the YJ-18 is similar to, or is a copy of, the Russian 3M-54 Klub. According to the United [States Department of Defense], the YJ-18 has a subsonic cruise mode and a supersonic terminal attack. Performance estimates include a range of, with a threat ring of, and a cruising range of at Mach 0.8 and a sprint range of at Mach 2.5 to 3.0.
The missile can be launched from vertical launching systems, and possibly from submarine torpedo tubes. Chinese media claims the missile has an inertial guidance system using BeiDou Navigation Satellite System data, and carries a high-explosive warhead with an anti-radiation seeker.
The YJ-18 is deployed aboard the Type 052D destroyer and the Type 055 destroyer. It may already be carried by the Shang II-class nuclear attack submarine outfitted with VLS cells, will replace the -range YJ-82 aboard the Yuan-class air-independent propulsion and Song-class diesel-electric submarines, will likely deploy on the Type 095 submarine, and may be capable of deployment on Kilo-class submarines. A land-based version could replace the subsonic -range YJ-62 with shore batteries.

Variants

;YJ-18: Original version, launched from torpedo tubes.
;YJ-18A: Launched from vertical launch system cells on surface vessels. It entered service in 2015.
;YJ-18B: Designed for vertical launch systems on submarines.
;YJ-18C: Land-attack variant designed to be disguised in commercial shipping containers. It's a subsonic missile with a stealth design. Unveiled at the 2025 China Victory Day Parade.

Operators

;
*