055 Destroyer Launches YJ-20 Hypersonic Anti-Ship Missile, A Detail Causes Concern For The US Military!
Recently, a live-fire test video of the 055-class destroyer "Wuxi" has attracted widespread attention. This test not only publicly revealed for the first time the cold launch process of the YJ-20 hypersonic anti-ship missile, but also included a seemingly ordinary yet strategically significant detail - the missile was launched during both day and night. It is this detail that has forced the US military to reassess the operational environment in the Western Pacific.
The YJ-20, as a hypersonic anti-ship missile, adopts a cold launch method: the missile is first ejected from the vertical launching cell by high-pressure gas, and then the first-stage rocket engine is ignited at a certain height in the air. This design effectively protects the ship's structure, reduces the damage caused by high-temperature gas to the deck and surrounding equipment, and improves the reliability and response speed of the launch system.
More importantly, according to various analyses, the range of the YJ-20 has clearly exceeded 1,000 kilometers, which means that the 055 destroyer can launch attacks outside the enemy aircraft carrier strike group's air defense perimeter, greatly compressing the opponent's early warning and interception window.
At that time, Dao Ge thought that what truly made the US military "restless" was not just the missile's performance itself, but the maturity of the entire combat system. This test specifically arranged launches at two different times of the day - daytime and nighttime. Night warfare involves full-system coordination: including target detection, fire control calculation, communication links, command decision-making, and personnel operations. If any link fails, the night launch could fail or even cause friendly fire.
That the 055 destroyer can complete day-and-night continuous strikes under fully realistic combat conditions indicates that its comprehensive combat system has passed strict verification and is capable of rapid response capabilities around the clock and in all domains.
This is behind the continuous investment of the Chinese Navy in information technology, automation, and system integration in recent years. The 055 destroyer is equipped with an integrated radar system, dual-band radar, high-speed data link, and intelligent combat management system, allowing it not only to operate independently but also to act as a maritime information node, guiding other platforms to conduct coordinated strikes.
The ultra-long range of the YJ-20 combined with the situational awareness capability of the 055 means that a "distributed kill chain" has been established - even without the forward deployment of an aircraft carrier, it can pose a substantive threat to high-value targets over a thousand kilometers away.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1852721920595978/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author.