YJ-83

Not to be confused with YJ-18.

The YJ-83 (Chinese: 鹰击-83; pinyin: yingji-83; lit. 'eagle strike 83'; NATO reporting name: CSS-N-8 Saccade) is a Chinese subsonic anti-ship cruise missile. It is manufactured by the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation Third Academy.^[6]

YJ-83
YJ-83J Missile
Type	Anti-ship cruise missile
Place of origin	China
Service history
In service	1998–present
Used by	People's Liberation Army Navy
Production history
Manufacturer	China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation
Specifications
Length	6.38 metres (20.9 ft)[1]
Diameter	360 millimetres (14 in)[1]
Wingspan	1,220 millimetres (48 in)[1]
Warhead	190 kg high-explosive fragmentation (YJ-83) 165 kg high-explosive, semi-armour piercing (YJ-83K)
Engine	CTJ-2 turbojet
Operational range	180 km (YJ-83, YJ-83K) 230 km (YJ-83KH) 120 km (C-802) 180 km (C-802A)[2][3]
Flight altitude	20-30 m (cruise)[4] 5-7 m (terminal)[4]
Maximum speed	Mach 0.9 (cruise) Mach 1.4 (terminal[5])
Guidance system	Inertial navigation/active radar homing terminal guidance
Launch platform	Surface and air launched

Development

The YJ-83 uses microprocessors and a strap-down inertial reference unit (IRU); these are more compact than the equivalent electronics used in the YJ-8 and the export C-802, allowing the YJ-83 to have a 180-km range at Mach 0.9. The missile is powered by the Chinese CTJ-2 turbojet and is fitted with a 190-kg high-explosive fragmentation warhead. Terminal guidance is by an active radar.^[6]

The air-launched YJ-83K has a range of 180 km (110 mi), a cruise speed of Mach 0.9, and a 165 kg (364 lb) high-explosive, semi-armour piercing warhead. The improved YJ-83KH uses a imaging-infrared seeker and has a range of 230 km;^[4] reportedly it may receive course corrections by remote link.^[7]

The YJ-83 entered service with the People's Liberation Army Navy in 1998 and 1999,^[6] equipping large numbers of its surface warships.^[8] The YJ-83K is the standard anti-ship missile carried by the People's Liberation Army Naval Air Force;^[4] the United States reported the usage in 2014.^[9] The People's Liberation Army Air Force was using the YJ-83K by February 2020.^[4]

C-802A

C-802

The C-802 precedes the closely related YJ-83.^[10] It is powered by the French TRI 60-2 turbojet^[6] and has a range of 65 nautical miles (120 km). The C-802 is considered a part of the YJ-83 family by the US military.^[8] The C-802 was likely an export-only design. From the 1990s, it was erroneously reported that it was used by China as the "YJ-2". It is not an export version of the YJ-82; the two are separate developments.^[11]

The C-802A^[10] and C-802AK are the export surface- and air-launched variants.^[6] The C-802A has a range of 97 nautical miles (180 km).^[2][3][8]

Western reporting has erroneously attributed the "C-803" designation to the YJ-83. The "C-803" designation was not used in Chinese promotional information through 2012.^[10]

Operational history

On 14 July 2006, during the 2006 Lebanon War, Hezbollah fired two Chinese-built C-802 missiles with upgraded Iranian radar seekers. The first hit a Cambodian-flagged Egyptian freighter 60 km offshore. The other hit the Israeli Navy's Sa'ar 5-class corvette INS Hanit, which was patrolling 8.5 nm offshore of Beirut. The missile hit the corvette's unstealthy crane near the rear helicopter pad; the explosion holed the pad, set fire to fuel storage, and killed four crewmembers. The fire was extinguished after four hours, and Hanit returned to Ashdod under its own power for three weeks of repairs. The corvette's automatic anti-missile systems were deactivated before the attack; Israel was unaware that Hezbollah had C-802s, and there were concerns over friendly fire with the Israeli Air Force.^[12]

In October 2016, a cruise missile launched by Houthis in Yemen damaged HSV-2 Swift, an unarmed transport ship under the control of the United Arab Emirates (who is opposed to the Houthis in Yemen's civil war). Analysis of the damage caused by that missile led experts to believe it was a C-802, as the missile had an explosively formed penetrator (EFP) warhead.^[13]

Variants

C-802A air launched variant (middle)

YJ-83

Initial surface-launched version with 120 km range.^[6]

YJ-83A/YJ-83J

Variant with enhanced range; 180 km for surface-launch and 250 km for air-launch.^[6]

YJ-83K

Air-launched variant with 180 km range.^[14]

YJ-83KH

Air-launched variant with imaging-infrared (IIR) seeker and 230 km (140 mi; 120 nmi).^[4]

C-802

Predecessor of the YJ-83.^[10]

C-802A

Export variant of the surface-launched YJ-83.^[6][10]

C-802AK

Export version of the air-launched YJ-83K.^[6]

KD-88

Further development. KD-88 is an air-launched cruise missile derived from YJ-83 missile.^[15]

CM-802AKG

Export version of KD-88. Based on the air-launched YJ-83 with a television (TV) or imaging-infrared (IIR) seeker and a redesigned airframe with more fuel.^[16]

Operators

Map with YJ-83 operators in blue

 Algeria

• Algerian National Navy: C-802, C-802A^[17]

 Bangladesh

• Bangladesh Navy: C-802, C-802A^[18]

 China

• People's Liberation Army Air Force^[4]
• People's Liberation Army Navy^[19]
• People's Liberation Army Naval Air Force^[4]

 Hezbollah^[20]

 Indonesia

• Indonesian Navy: C-802^[21]

C-802 (top) and C-705 (bottom) missile launches against target ship KRI Slamet Riyadi.

 Iran

• Islamic Republic of Iran Navy: C-802 and an Iranian copy called Noor^[22]

 Myanmar

• Myanmar Navy: C-802^[23]
• Myanmar Air Force: C-802A^[24]

 Pakistan

• Pakistan Air Force: C-802AK^[25]
• Pakistan Navy: C-802, C-802A^[26]

 Syria

• Syrian Arab Navy: C-802^[27]

 Thailand

• Royal Thai Navy: C-802A^[28]

 Yemen

• Yemeni Navy: C-802^[29]

 Venezuela

• Bolivarian Navy of Venezuela: C-802A on Guaiquerí-class boats and fast attack craft^[30][31]

See also

• Noor and Ghader, derivative of the C-802 produced by Iran
• Exocet – (France)
• Harpoon – (United States)
• Kh-35 – (Russia)
• Otomat – (Italy, France)
• RBS 15 – (Sweden)
• R-360 Neptune – (Ukraine)

References

1. Gormley, Erickson & Yuan 2014a, p. 16.
2. "Thailand flexes anti-ship missile capabilities in Andaman Sea with C-802A firing". Janes. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
3. "Bangladesh Navy has launched five new warships including 2 frigates - 1 corvette and 2 survey ships". Navy Recognition. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
4. Rupprecht, Andreas (18 February 2020). "Images show PLAAF J-16 armed with YJ-83K anti-ship missile". Janes. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
5. Eric Heginbotham; Michael Nixon; Forrest E. Morgan; Jacob L. Heim; Jeff Hagen; Sheng Li; Jeffrey Engstrom; Martin C. Libicki; Paul DeLuca; David A. Shlapak; David R. Frelinger; Burgess Laird; Kyle Brady; Lyle J. Morris (2015). The U.S.-China Military Scorecard: Forces, Geography, and the Evolving Balance of Power, 1996–2017. Santa Monica, California: RAND Corporation. p. 175. ISBN 978-0-8330-8219-0.
6. Gormley, Erickson & Yuan 2014b, p. 101.
7. Gormley, Erickson & Yuan 2014b, p. 102.
8. United States Office of Naval Intelligence 2015, p. 16.
9. United States Office of the Secretary of Defense (June 2014). Annual Report To Congress: Military and Security Developments Involving the People's Republic of China 2014 (PDF) (Report). p. 40. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 July 2015. Retrieved 11 June 2015.
10. Carlson, Christopher P. (8 February 2013). "China's Eagle Strike-Eight Anti-Ship Cruise Missiles, Part 3". DefenseMediaNetwork. Archived from the original on 3 June 2016. Retrieved 21 April 2016.
11. Carlson, Christopher P. (6 February 2013). "China's Eagle Strike-Eight Anti-Ship Cruise Missiles, Part 2". DefenseMediaNetwork. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 21 April 2016.
12. Zakheim, Dov S. (February 2012). The United States Navy and Israeli Navy: Background, current issues, scenarios, and prospects (PDF) (Report). CNA. p. 27-28. COP D0026727.A1/Final.
13. "USS Mason Fired 3 Missiles to Defend From Yemen Cruise Missiles Attack". USNI. 11 October 2016. Archived from the original on 9 August 2018. Retrieved 12 August 2018.
14. "Images show PLAAF J-16 armed with YJ-83K anti-ship missile". Janes. 18 February 2020.
15. Andrew S. Erickson (July 2011). Antiaccess and China's Air-Launched Cruise Missiles (PDF).
16. "制导模式进化论：探秘中国新一代空地导弹性能". Sina News. 18 November 2013.
17. The International Institute for Strategic Studies 2022, p. 333.
18. The International Institute for Strategic Studies 2022, p. 251.
19. United States Office of Naval Intelligence 2015, p. 17.
20. "Missiles and Rockets of Hezbollah". Missile Threat. Archived from the original on 26 April 2020.
21. The International Institute for Strategic Studies 2022, p. 273.
22. "IRAN FIRST CUSTOMER TO BUY CHINESE C802 ANTI-SHIP MISSILE". Archived from the original on 1 July 2012. Retrieved 13 November 2014.
23. The International Institute for Strategic Studies 2022, p. 293.
24. The International Institute for Strategic Studies 2022, p. 294.
25. Dominguez, Gabriel (6 March 2018). "PN, PAF successfully test-fire C-802 anti-ship cruise missiles". IHS Jane's 360. Archived from the original on 12 August 2018. Retrieved 12 August 2018.
26. The International Institute for Strategic Studies 2022, p. 298.
27. The International Institute for Strategic Studies 2022, p. 370.
28. The International Institute for Strategic Studies 2022, p. 312.
29. Binnie, Jeremy (29 October 2015). "Yemeni rebels claim third anti-ship missile attack". IHS Jane's 360. Archived from the original on 8 April 2016. Retrieved 20 April 2016.
30. "China Arming Venezuelan Navy With Anti-Ship Missiles". USNI News. 16 October 2020. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
31. The International Institute for Strategic Studies 2022, p. 383.

Bibliography

• Gormley, Dennis M.; Erickson, Andrew S.; Yuan, Jingdong (2014a). A Low-Visibility Force Multiplier: Assessing China's Cruise Missile Ambitions (PDF). Washington, D.C.: National Defense University Press.
• Gormley, Dennis M.; Erickson, Andrew S.; Yuan, Jingdong (30 September 2014b). "A Potent Vector: Assessing Chinese Cruise Missile Developments". Joint Forces Quarterly (75). National Defense University. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
• The International Institute for Strategic Studies (2022). The Military Balance 2022. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-032-27900-8.
• United States Office of Naval Intelligence (2015). The PLA Navy: New Capabilities and Missions for the 21st Century (PDF) (Report). Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 9 May 2015.