The missile model could become China’s ‘logistics ship killer’

Magazine Battleship Defense Weapons Assessment of the China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (CSIC) earlier this month posted an article stating the possibility of turning the YJ-18C cruise missile, launched at a military parade in Beijing in September 2025, into a cheap and large-quantity weapon to attack the US Navy’s vulnerable logistics fleet when a large-scale conflict breaks out.

“It possesses many similarities with the US AGM-158C LRASM long-range anti-ship cruise missile. By sacrificing speed in exchange for stealth capabilities, expanding range and simplifying the manufacturing process, the YJ-18C will be an economically effective solution to equip powerful offensive weapons for rear-line warships, even converted civilian ships,” the article said.

The development of the YJ-18 line originated in the 1990s, when China attempted to modernize its naval arsenal to deal with threats from the sea.

The Pentagon believes that the YJ-18 series is a copy or has many similarities with the 3M-54E Klub anti-ship cruise missile that Russia sold to China with Project 636 submarines. The missile has a subsonic cruise speed of about 990 km/h, then accelerates to 3,100-3,700 km/h when about 40 km from the target.

The original YJ-18 version could only fire from a submarine’s torpedo tube. In 2015, China commissioned the YJ-18A version for vertical launchers (VLS) on Type-052D and Type-055 destroyers, and YJ-18B for submarines carrying the VLS system.

The YJ-18A/B variants have a rounded shape similar to the Russian Klub missile, while the YJ-18C has a body made of composite materials and an angular shape to reduce the radar reflection area. The YJ-18C’s firing range is estimated at more than 1,000 km, compared to 600 km of the previous YJ-18 series, allowing the launcher to maintain a safe distance and avoid entering the enemy’s killing zone.

“Combat effectiveness can be improved thanks to the inertial navigation system, BeiDou satellite positioning and AI-integrated computers, allowing real-time flight path adjustments to avoid enemy defense nets,” commented the Chinese magazine.

The YJ-18C design is simpler than two-mode missiles like the YJ-18A/B, helping to simplify, speed up and reduce costs for mass production.

“This makes it a very useful weapon in attrition warfare, when it is necessary to target large numbers of transport and logistics ships without defense capabilities. In this respect, the YJ-18C holds a clear advantage over expensive supersonic anti-ship missiles such as the YJ-17, YJ-19 and YJ-20,” the article said.

Andrew Erickson, a professor at the US Naval War College, once warned that if deployed in large numbers, the YJ-18C could threaten and cripple the US logistics network in the Pacific during a conflict, forcing Washington to disperse its defense forces.

“The YJ-18C is not suitable for the task of penetrating the multi-layer defense network of modern warship groups, but will be a powerful killer when targeting targets with an important role but poor defense capabilities, typically transport ships and logistics ships,” the Chinese magazine said.