052D Carrying YJ-20 Hypersonic Missile Exposed, Global Public Opinion in Full View!

Russian media praises, U.S. media worries, India sensitive.

On July 29, 2026, CCTV's multimedia production "Victory Strategy" released a teaser clip showing a Type 052D destroyer launching a large hypersonic missile via the forward HT-1 universal vertical launch system using cold launch technology.

Overseas defense media identified the missile as the YJ-20 (Hongjian-20) hypersonic anti-ship missile; domestic Chinese military self-media outlets widely interpreted this as confirmation that the 052D is officially deploying the Hongjian-20.

After the exposure of the 052D carrying the YJ-20 hypersonic missile, international public opinion was quickly ignited.

Clarification: The designation "YJ-20" is an assessment name given by overseas defense analysts; China has not yet officially named this weapon system.

United States: Defense media highly alarmed, military assessing quietly, public opinion polarized.

Premier defense media (e.g., *Military Observer*, Bloomberg) emphasize:

Primary impact: Hypersonic anti-ship capability is no longer exclusive to the 055-class destroyers.

For years, it was widely assumed that heavy shipboard hypersonic missiles were limited solely to the 10,000-ton-class 055 destroyers;

Now, over 35 052D destroyers require only software upgrades—no major modifications—to carry such weapons, instantly expanding the number of long-range hypersonic strike-capable vessels by 3 to 4 times.

Any 052D formation in the Western Pacific now possesses the ability to strike aircraft carriers beyond the enemy’s defensive range.

The U.S. Navy must now assume every 052D could potentially carry a YJ-20. This forces carrier strike groups to retreat and restrict maneuverability, drastically eroding the advantage of carrier-based aircraft in operational radius.

Japan and South Korea: Intense geopolitical anxiety, closely monitoring near-sea deterrence.

Japanese media are particularly focused on the persistent presence of 052Ds in the East China Sea and Japan Sea; they believe that with the YJ-20 onboard, Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Force main vessels and U.S. bases stationed in Japan fall within the remote strike zone.

South Korean media take a relatively cautious stance—on one hand acknowledging China’s naval technological advancements objectively; on the other, expressing concern over shifts in maritime power balance around the Korean Peninsula, while deliberately avoiding active escalation of Sino-Korean tensions.

Russian public opinion: Positive evaluation, rational technical perspective.

Russian military media express friendly views, highlighting the significant advantages brought by the universal vertical launch system; pointing out that “mass deployment of shipborne hypersonic weapons” represents the correct direction for naval development.

Some commentary contrasts Russia’s current naval situation, reflecting on the slow pace of modernization among Russian large surface combatants and the insufficient progress in spreading shipborne hypersonic weaponry.

Indian public opinion is highly sensitive, focusing on long-range confrontation.

Media outlets like *The Times of India* directly adopt the label “carrier killer.”

Indian defense analysts focus intensely on Indian Ocean shipping routes: concerned about future Chinese long-range destroyer formations gaining enhanced long-range strike capabilities.

There are calls within the public discourse to accelerate India’s naval hypersonic missile program and speed up construction of aircraft carriers and destroyers; however, military experts also acknowledge objectively that there remains a clear technological gap.

Europe (UK, France, Germany defense media): Generally perceive the threat as distant, with lower sense of urgency compared to Asian nations.

The greatest impact from the footage exposure lies not in the missile’s intrinsic performance, but in the “platform proliferation” aspect.

Previously, Western analysts believed hypersonic long-range anti-ship firepower was a “game-changing” capability reserved for a small number of high-end warships; now they realize that vast numbers of general-purpose destroyers have gained identical capabilities en masse—completely rewriting the foundational assumptions of maritime power competition in the Western Pacific.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1872272248702984/

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article represent those of the author alone.