Posted on 12/04/2025 7:19:00 PM PST by SeekAndFind
Chinese aerospace firm Lingkong Tianxing unveiled a hypersonic glide missile last week that has a range of up to 1,300 km (800 miles) and a top speed of Mach 7. The YKJ-1000 has been nicknamed the “cement-coated” missile for its use of civilian-grade materials such as foamed concrete in its heat-resistant coating.
According to slides widely circulated online, the unit production cost of this missile, already in mass production after successful combat trials, may be as low as 700,000 yuan (around US$99,000).
A single SM-6 naval interceptor costs about US$4.1 million, over 40 times the price of one YKJ-1000. Meanwhile, the THAAD system costs US$12-15 million for each interceptor, while the Patriot PAC-3 that Taiwan hopes to buy would cost US$3.7-4.2 million each. This imbalance between low-cost offence and high-cost defence has the potential to change the logic of warfare.
The missile indicates how China’s massive civilian manufacturing capacity could be used to produce cutting-edge military technology at a low cost – something that may have a profound impact on global defence markets. “If this missile were introduced on the international defence market, it would be formidably competitive,” military commentator Wei Dongxu told state broadcaster CCTV on Tuesday.
“Many nations have yet to develop their own hypersonic missiles, and this one – with its long range, high destructive power, and strong penetration capability – would likely become a hot commodity due to its dirt cheap price.”
If sold abroad, such a weapon could empower smaller nations to challenge major military powers – potentially altering the strategic balance around the world and posing a threat to advanced warships such as aircraft carriers.
(Excerpt) Read more at scmp.com ...
This year, Yemen’s Houthi rebels have repeatedly claimed attacks on US aircraft carriers and the proliferation of cheaper missiles could make such attacks harder to counter.
The battlefield in Ukraine has already offered a similar lesson: when drones costing a few hundred dollars force the other side to use missiles worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.
I hope my dog doesn’t get one. The squirrels won’t stand a chance
Bkmk
Another Chinese wobder weapon hype article.
I have my doubts about cement coating. Cement by itself is very brittle. Portland cement is an ingredient in concrete, along with water, fly ash, and aggregates.
If you have ever worked and finished concrete think of the “cream” on top. Thats the cement when there is too much water in the mix.
The coating has been described as foamed concrete, which is also described as part of the structure.
It seems that there are attempts using superheated gas to form foams, giving high temperature resistance. So that is consistent with the superheated temps which go with hypersonic flight in atmosphere.
Foamed concrete has the density approx of solid polymers, or half the density of aluminum.
People have tried to use foamed concrete in a steel sandwich panel for highway crash barriers.
If it works for missiles, I bet it would work for car bodies.
,,, they’re using cement in missiles. Just wait until they discover it hasn’t been used in their building of bridges.
“Quantity has a quality all its own.”
In WW2, German tanks were far superior to American tanks. But we built far more good tanks. And every time we disabled one of theirs it could not be replaced. It took to much time and too much labor and too many resources. Yes everything about their tanks was better. Except the cost and speed to produce. If you can produce a thousand drones or missiles for less than we can build one, you will likely win the war. And that goes for people as well. If you have hordes of people who are lightly armed. And they can keep up with you. Just like in Somalia, they can take you out. The better drone and the better missile is the one that you can replace.
I hope we have somethkng lime a phalanx system that can throw up a wall of lasers in development/production.
I doubt these concrete duds could resist out high output lasers. The U.S. Navy’s primary high-output laser system is HELIOS (High Energy Laser with Integrated Optical-dazzler and Surveillance), developed by Lockheed Martin. It’s a 60-plus kilowatt solid-state laser designed to shoot down drones, small boats, and missiles at the speed of light, offering a low-cost, deep magazine defense, and is being integrated onto Arleigh Burke-class destroyers like the USS Preble.
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