China’s Most Dangerous Missile (So Far)

War on the Rocks ^ | July 2, 2014 | Robert Haddick

[C19fan]

Buried on page 40 of the Pentagon’s latest annual report on China’s military power is a brief mention of the YJ-12, a recent addition to China’s portfolio of anti-ship cruise missiles (ASCM). The report notes that, “The new missile provides an increased threat to naval assets, due to its long range and supersonic speeds.” True, but in an understated way. In fact, the YJ-12 is the most dangerous anti-ship missile China has produced thus far, posing an even greater risk to the U.S. Navy’s surface forces in the Western Pacific than the much-discussed DF-21D anti-ship ballistic missile. The arrival of the YJ-12 is one more indication of how the U.S. Navy is falling further behind in the missile competition against China, exposing flaws in operating concepts that U.S. and allied commanders and policymakers have relied on for years.

[C19fan]

Developments in anti-ship missile technology, including hypersonic missiles, might make the carrier battle group as much a sitting duck as battleships became with the development of the CV.

[CodeToad]

Aircraft carriers are a diplomacy weapon against third-world countries. All first-world nations knows how to eliminate all of our carriers within minutes. It is why most countries with limited budgets don’t go down the carrier isle when shopping for military weapon systems.

[McGruff]

As the world is focused on the US and Russia beating each other up China watches and applauds. Their day will come.

[Reagan Disciple]

And Taiwan shudders...........

[Carry_Okie]

Where are we with ship-borne anti-missile lasers these days?

[BipolarBob]

PLUS they are a lot more accurate thanks to Clinton-approved missile technology. We used to hang traitors not reward them.

[Oatka]

All I could think of, reading this, was how the Argentinians nailed those British frigates with their Exocets in the Falklands war.

They sent out two-plane teams of a Phantom (I think) and a Mirage, at low level towards the target. The Mirage flew below radar and occasionaly sent the Phantom up higher, like a periscope, to vector the Mirage. All the radar guys on the frigates saw was an occasional blip that lasted for only one sweep. Next thing they knew, they were hit.

What got me was how such “outdated” equipment was cleverly used.

I realize ship defense has come a long way, but I’ve always wondered about even Third Worlders doing something equally ingenious. All we’d have to do is lose one carrier and the hue and cry for a pullback would be deafening.

[TexasGunLover]

Aircraft carriers are a diplomacy weapon against third-world countries. All first-world nations knows how to eliminate all of our carriers within minutes. It is why most countries with limited budgets don’t go down the carrier isle when shopping for military weapon systems.

Bingo. Russian, China, Saudi's, Pakistain, etc... they'd take out our CVN's in no time.