YJ-20 Hypersonic Missile

Category: Defence / International Security

  • YJ-20 is a Chinese hypersonic anti-ship missile.
  • It is associated with the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN).
  • It was publicly revealed during China's 2025 military parade.
  • It has been associated with the Type 055 large destroyers and more recently reported in connection with Type 052D destroyers.
  • Its intended role is to engage maritime targets, particularly large surface combatants.
  • The missile's hypersonic speed and manoeuvrability make it part of China's developing anti-access/area-denial (A2/AD) capabilities.
  • Recent reporting in 2026 described its deployment on Type 052D destroyers.

Prelims Pointers: Country → China | Navy → PLAN | Type → Hypersonic anti-ship missile | Platforms → Type 055 / Type 052D destroyers.