Type 052D destroyer with U.S. Navy antiship missiles YJ-20: another origin for concern?

On July 29, this year, Chinese state media presented a recording of the launch of an anti-ship rocket YJ-20 from the kind 052D destroyer. The image was included in the announcement of the Chinese state tv documentary series CCTV. It is not specified erstwhile and where the test was carried out or from which ship the rocket was launched.

Previously, YJ-20 was associated with larger kind 055 destroyers. kind 052D are more many units in the Chinese Navy, built in series. And this fact: the number of kind 052D units gives the July recording a peculiar meaning.

Video from YJ-20 published by CCTV

YJ-20 is described by regional and western sources as a hypersonic anti-ship missile. The word ‘hypersonic’ refers to a flight at a velocity exceeding 5 Machs. The Chinese authorities have not published data of range, speed, guidance, number of heads being carried or which kind 052D units have been equipped with this system.

The video shows a cold start. The rocket first leaves the chamber of the vertical launcher, and the engine starts already above the deck. This way of firing reduces the impact of exhaust gases on the interior of the launcher. However, it is not known how many YJ-20 rockets can be found in kind 052D launchers, as in its 64 rocket chambers there may be missiles of different applications.

From Kunming to Loudi: a serial-built destroyer

The first kind 052D destroyer, Kunming, entered service in March 2014. Ships of this class have a displacement of about 7,500 tons. Their tasks include the air defence of a squad of ships, combating submarines and submarines and participating in deep sea activities.

The US Naval Institute estimated in July this year that so far Chinese shipyards had built at least 35 kind 052D units. Chinese state media this year reported entry into service of Loudi about the number 176 and Tongchuan about number 177. This is not a single series of identical ships. Newer units have received changed radars, weapon systems and network architecture, and any of them have an extended deck – there is simply a chopper landing site.

By comparison, in March a Chinese military origin reported that the fleet had 10 larger kind 055 destroyers. These have 112 chambers of vertical launchers. kind 052D has 64 of them, but a large number of these units let to form a shield and impact force in respective teams simultaneously, without limiting to larger kind 055 ships.

64 launchers for various tasks

The vertical rocket launcher is not a warehouse of 1 kind of weapon. It's a chamber assembly on board that can fire missiles selected for the task. Chinese military sources list anti-aircraft, anti-shipping and anti-submarine weapons for kind 052D. publically known configurations previously included HHQ-9 air defence missiles and YJ-18 antishippers.

Adapting the launcher to YJ-20 increases the number of types of missiles that can hit the kind 052D weapon. The choice of weapons requires the division of 64 chambers between tasks: combating submarines, air defence and combating submarines. From the data made public by China, it is not apparent in what proportions of different rockets are armed with kind 052D destroyers and whether they are fixed or dependent on circumstantial mission objectives.

Missile systems intended for Chinese destroyers were shown during the Beijing defilade in September 2025. Their broader description along with the kind 055 launcher was presented in the material "Characterism of the most interesting Chinese weapons systems".

Type 052D in the Western Pacific

On April 19, the Baotou destroyer, number 133 and frigate No 577, passed through the Yokoate Strait between Amami Ōshima and Yokoate Island, heading for the Pacific. The east Theatre Command reported that the formation performed regular exercises recorded in the yearly plan to check far sea activities. The Communication states that the exercise was not aimed at a peculiar country or target.

Source: U.S. Naval Institute (usni.org/magazines/procedings/2020/january/chinas-luyang-iiitype-052d-destroyer-potent-adversary)

The nipponese Ministry of Defence confirmed the reflection of kind 052D No 133 and frigate No 577 about 60 km southwest of Yokoate. This is an example of the actions of Chinese destroyers outside the coastal waters and the passage to the western Pacific through 1 of the roads between the islands of southwestern Japan.

Type 052D destroyers besides execute tasks outside this reservoir. Xinhua reported in February that Taiyuan, number 131 from his entry into service, carried out more than 30 missions, including an escort in the Gulf of Aden, patrols and exercises. Ships of this class are so utilized both in teams operating close China and in deep sea cruises.

Number of ships and mark data

In the case of anti-ship missiles, the launch itself is only part of the task. The rocket must be given the location of the mark and the ship needs recognition, communication and interaction with another units and aviation. The real usage besides includes the number of missiles on board, method readiness, ammunition supply and defence of the opponent.

In this context, the public display of YJ-20 on kind 052D extends the image of the Chinese fleet in the Western Pacific.

‘Chinese carrier killers’

The recording confirms the trend of the Chinese army introducing modular, universal solutions that we have already noticed. Expanding the capabilities of the YJ-20 rocket outside kind 055, and besides a choice of comparatively modern and much more many kind 052D destroyers introduces another variable unfavourable to possible opponents, including mainly for the US Navy. On the Chinese side, the possible for disposing of key naval units of the opponent is increasing rapidly, and it is far from the Chinese coast.

China is likely to accomplish its objective: possible kinetic action plans against you The measurement requires an ever-increasing calculation of the hazard assessment of an effective and devastating response.

Chinese shipyards scored 82.3 percent of the global volume of fresh orders in the first half of 2026

Leszek B. Glass

Email: [email protected]

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