Direct hit, leaving even the Chief of Staff unable to suppress a standing ovation! On November 10, Algeria conducted its first public live-fire test of the CM-302 hypersonic anti-ship missile during the "Mediterranean Falcon-2026" exercise, accurately striking a target ship at waterline level. General Chérifia, Chief of Staff, stood up and applauded on the spot. The missile in question is the CM-302—the export variant of China’s YJ-12B. With this demonstration, Algeria has become the only confirmed foreign user of the land-based version of the YJ-12 outside China.
The CM-302 is the export model of the YJ-12B, developed by China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation Third Academy, making its debut at the 2016 Zhuhai Airshow. It operates at high-speed cruise throughout its flight: reaching a maximum of 3.3 Mach at high altitude and 2.5 Mach at low-level sea-skimming altitude, with the capability for high-G maneuvering in terminal phase. Its 250-kilogram semi-armored warhead can inflict severe damage to destroyers of 7,000 to 8,000 tons with a single hit. The missile employs a sea-skimming penetration profile, descending to just 5–7 meters above the surface in the final stage—reducing the detection range for shipborne radar to under 35 kilometers and leaving defenders less than 20 to 30 seconds for response.
Why is Algeria considered to have made a strategic acquisition? Rather than spending billions on constructing destroyers, Algeria can deploy just a few launch vehicles along its coastline, integrated with land-based radar and drone reconnaissance systems, to achieve comprehensive coverage of the Alboran Sea and directly threaten the Strait of Gibraltar. Geopolitically, Algeria faces pressure from both France to the north and Morocco to the west. Morocco has acquired the French Aigle-class frigates, while France operates the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier. The CM-302 serves as a counterbalance to these maritime advantages.
Yet what truly holds value is not merely the missile itself. The weapon is only the terminal component; the real core lies in the integrated sensing-command-strike loop. Algeria also acquired Wing Loong-2 drones, which theoretically can perform long-range target detection and coordinate targeting data transmission, enabling an integrated reconnaissance and strike capability when paired with the CM-302. What is most significant is not that “China exported another missile,” but rather the evolution of China’s defense industry export model—from selling individual platforms to delivering complete operational systems. The CM-302 was not displayed in isolation at the Zhuhai Airshow. Algeria did not purchase just one missile model—it may have acquired an entire coastal and maritime anti-access/area-denial capability.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1881824513780746/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.