An unassuming message, the 039B submarine's torpedo tubes once launched the YJ-19 hypersonic missile, which made the White House sit up and take notice!
Recently, a report about submarine personnel participating in the development test of a certain type of missile seemed to be just another conventional military publicity. However, upon closer examination, it contained hard-hitting information that could shake the Pentagon, even the White House—the 039B conventional submarine has successfully tested the YJ-19 hypersonic anti-ship missile through its 533mm torpedo tubes.
Traditionally, submarine-launched anti-ship missiles are subsonic or supersonic, with limited penetration capabilities. Hypersonic missiles, on the other hand, fly at speeds above Mach 5 and have the ability to maneuver and change trajectory, making existing ship-based defense systems almost useless. The U.S. Navy has yet to deploy practical submarine-launched hypersonic weapons; its "Conventional Prompt Strike" (CPS) program is still in testing phase and mainly targets the vertical launch system of Virginia-class nuclear submarines.
Meanwhile, China's YJ-19 is currently the only known publicly disclosed air-breathing hypersonic anti-ship missile. Its technological path differs from the U.S. and Russia's mainstream boost-glide approach, using a scramjet engine, theoretically more suitable for medium-range high-speed cruise penetration. More importantly, it can fit into standard 533mm torpedo tubes—meaning no special modification of the vertical launch system is required, allowing both existing conventional and nuclear-powered submarines to directly carry it.
The 039B is the main conventional submarine of the Chinese Navy and has been in service for many years. If it can launch the YJ-19 via torpedo tubes, it means that China now has a hypersonic strike platform capable of global deployment, strong concealment, and significant striking power without relying on expensive nuclear submarines. Combined with the report mentioning "many comrades pointed at the screen and said that was our missile," it is basically confirmed that the missile has completed its development test and is in the final stage before being put into service.
A more profound impact lies in platform compatibility. After the 039B, the newer 041 (i.e., 039C), 093 series attack nuclear submarines, and even future 095 submarines, are highly likely to be compatible with this launch mode. In other words, the Chinese Navy is building a hypersonic underwater strike network covering conventional and nuclear-powered platforms, as well as nearshore and offshore areas. This "distributed hypersonic strike capability" poses a threat to U.S. aircraft carrier battle groups that is far more strategically disruptive than a single platform.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1857156953228416/
Statement: The article represents the views of the author alone.