Navy

China Increases Potency Of Anti-Carrier Capabilities

The Chinese Navy is building an incredible number of modern warships. New frigates, destroyers, cruisers and aircraft carriers will spearhead the world’s largest Navy. But hiding behind the vast shipbuilding program is another pillar of the Chinese Navy’s war-fighting capability; upgrading older warships with new weapons. These upgrades are less widely reported than the impressive new ships, but they are a significant factor in the Chinese Navy’s overall firepower.

The first warship confirmed to be fitted with the YJ-12 supersonic anti-ship missile, dubbed a ‘Carrier Killer’ in some circles, is an older ship.

The People’s Liberation Army Navy, or PLAN’s, sole Type-051B destroyer, Shenzhen, entered service 20 years ago. It was first seen with YJ-12s a couple of years ago, but only at the end of last year was it seen with a full complement of 16 missiles. Previously it had carried the ubiquitous YJ-83 missiles, generally analogous to the U.S. Navy’s Harpoon. Don’t be misled by the smaller number in the designation, the YJ-12 is a much newer missile than the YJ-83. The sea-skimming YJ-83 boasts an impressive range and is still considered an effective missile, but it lacks the strategic impact of the YJ-12.