YJ-21


The YJ-21 is a Chinese hypersonic anti-ship ballistic missile.

History and development

An export version called YJ-21E was showcased in Airshow China 2022, depicted underslung from the H-6K bomber.
The air-launched YJ-21, also called KD-21, was showcased by Chinese state media in 2024. The export version, YJ-21E, was displayed at the Zhuhai Airshow again in November 2024. In July 2024, a photograph showed the H-6K bomber taking off while carrying four KD-21 missiles. In the same year, the KD-21 was also depicted as part of the armaments for China's CH-Series unmanned aerial vehicles.
In April 2025, the Chinese Air Force official media account displayed H-6 bombers fitted with YJ-21 missiles. This report confirmed for the first time that KD-21 is operational with the PLAAF.
In 2022, an unidentified hypersonic missile was revealed by the Chinese Navy ahead of its 73rd anniversary, launching from a universal vertical launch system of the Type 055 destroyer. The Chinese Navy did not reveal the missile's designation, but defense analysts believed it to be the ship-launched version of the YJ-21. However, with the emergence of the YJ-20 hypersonic missile in 2025, having a more closely aligned profile to the missile launched by Type 055 in 2022, analysts believed these were two separate missile developments.

Design

According to a 2023 People's Liberation Army Strategic Support Force article, the missile has a cruise speed of Mach 6, and a terminal speed of Mach 10. The missile could be launched from China's Type 055 destroyer or the H-6 bomber.

Variants

;YJ-21: Original designation
;YJ-21E: Export variant
;KD-21: Air-launched ballistic missile. First shown at Airshow China 2022. Four missiles can be carried at once by a H-6K bomber. This missile is derived from YJ-21 or CM-401 anti-ship ballistic missile. The missile is speculated to serve both land attack and anti-ship roles, and serve alongside the larger KF-21 aero-ballistic missile.

Operators