YJ-7
| YJ-7 (C-701) | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | anti-ship missile |
| Place of origin | People's Republic of China |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC) Third Academy |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 117 kg (258 lb)[1] |
| Length | 2,500 mm (8.2 ft)[2] |
| Diameter | 180 mm (7.1 in)[2] |
| Wingspan | 450 mm (18 in) (folded) 587 mm (23.1 in) (expanded)[2] |
| Warhead | 30.5 kg (67 lb) semi armour-piercing high explosive[1] |
| Engine | Rocket engine[3] |
Operational range | 15 km (9.3 mi; 8.1 nmi), 25 km (16 mi; 13 nmi) when launched by fixed-wing aircraft[4][5] |
| Flight altitude | 13–20 m (43–66 ft)[2] |
| Maximum speed | Mach 0.8[2] |
Guidance system | Active radar, TV/CCD electro-optical, semi-active laser homing (SAL), infrared homing (IR), image infrared homing (IIR), and millimeter wave radar (mmW)[2] |
Launch platform | Air & surface |
The YJ-7 (Chinese: 鹰击-7; pinyin: yingji-7; lit. 'Eagle Strike 7') is a Chinese subsonic anti-ship missile. It is manufactured by the Third Academy of the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC).[4] The export version of the YJ-7 is the C-701.[1]
History
[edit]During the Falkland War, the Royal Air Force (RAF) used Westland Lynx to launch Sea Skua anti-ship missiles against Argentinian patrol boats. Helicopter-based anti-surface operation was seen as a viable option in any potential Taiwan Strait operation by the Chinese military industry. In the 1990s, China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC) Third Academy and Hongdu Aviation Industry Group (Hongdu) both initiated small anti-ship missile projects, resulting in CASIC's C-701 missile and Hongdu's TL-10 missile. Both missiles shared very similar specifications, but with a slight deviation in launch profile. The initial model of the C-701 focused on surface launch from boats, while TL-10 focused on helicopter air-launch integration.[5]
Jane's Defence Weekly suspected that the reason behind the similar roles, dimensions, and performance of the C-701 and TL-10 was that they were part of a competition bid intended for Iran's Kowsar missile program.[6]
The radar-guided C-701 was displayed by the China Precision Machinery Import-Export Corporation (CPMIEC) at the 2004 China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition.[7] Although the missile was developed by the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation, Iran's Aerospace Industries Organisation (AIO) claimed presented the missile as a national program.[6]
In April 2006, it was reported that radar-guided C-701s were fired during Iranian military exercises.[7]
The missile is sometimes called YJ-7. The YJ-7 missile features a modular seeker, such as TV/CCD, semi-active laser homing, infrared homing (IR), image infrared homing (IIR), and millimeter wave radar (mmW) homing. The seeker can combine multiple tracking modes.[2]
Variants
[edit]- YJ-7
- C-701 AR: Export version with active radar seeker[1]
- C-701T: Export version with electro-optical seeker[1]
- FL-10: "Cheaper version" of the C-701[8]
- Kowsar: Iranian version of C-701[3]
Operators
[edit]
Current operators
[edit]
- Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran: C-701, Kowsar (patrol boats,[9] shore batteries.[10])
- People's Liberation Army Navy: YJ-7 (Harbin Z-8 and Z-9C helicopters)[11]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e Gormley et al.: page 16
- ^ a b c d e f g "鹰击-8的小兄弟：鹰击-7（C701）反舰导弹". SohuNews. 21 May 2024.
- ^ a b Cordesman and Lin: page 28
- ^ a b Gormley et al.: page 18
- ^ a b "射程飙升至50公里！YJ-9增程型配直-20F，舰队防御圈扩大3倍". Tencent News. 9 November 2025.
- ^ a b Hewson, Robert (17 November 2004). "China aids Iran's tactical missile programme". Jane's Defence Weekly.
- ^ a b China Missile Chronology: section "10 April, 2006"
- ^ Cordesman and Lin: page 41
- ^ Cordesman and Lin: page 30
- ^ Cordesman and Lin: page 29
- ^ Gormley et al.: page 58
- Bibliography
- "China Missile Chronology" (PDF). Nuclear Threat Initiative. 8 June 2012. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
- Cordesman, Anthony H.; Lin, Aaron (February 2015). The Iranian Sea-Air-Missile Threat to Gulf Shipping (PDF). Center for Strategic and International Studies. ISBN 978-1-4422-4077-3.
- Gormley, Dennis M.; Erickson, Andrew S.; Yuan, Jingdong (2014). A Low-Visibility Force Multiplier: Assessing China's Cruise Missile Ambitions (PDF) (Report). Washington, D.C.: National Defense University Press.