The YJ-7 (Chinese: 鹰击-7; pinyin: yingji-7; lit. 'Eagle Strike 7') is a Chinese subsonic anti-ship missile. It is manufactured by the Third Academy of the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC).[4] The export version of the YJ-7 is the C-701.[1]
History
During the Falkland War, the Royal Air Force (RAF) used Westland Lynx to launch Sea Skua anti-ship missiles against Argentinian patrol boats. Helicopter-based anti-surface operation was seen as a viable option in any potential Taiwan Strait operation by the Chinese military industry. In the 1990s, China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC) Third Academy and Hongdu Aviation Industry Group (Hongdu) both initiated small anti-ship missile projects, resulting in CASIC’s C-701 missile and Hongdu’s TL-10 missile. Both missiles shared very similar specifications, but with a slight deviation in launch profile. The initial model of the C-701 focused on surface launch from boats, while TL-10 focused on helicopter air-launch integration.[5]
The C-701 was first unveiled at Zhuhai Airshow 1996, featuring the first-generation TV seeker built in China.[6]
The radar-guided C-701 was displayed by the China Precision Machinery Import-Export Corporation (CPMIEC) at the 2004 China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition.[7] Although the missile was developed by the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation, Iran’s Aerospace Industries Organisation (AIO) claimed presented the missile as a national program.[8] In April 2006, it was reported that radar-guided C-701s were fired during Iranian military exercises.[7]
Jane’s Defence Weekly suspected that the reason behind the similar roles, dimensions, and performance of the C-701 and TL-10 was that they were part of a competition bid intended for Iran’s Kowsar missile program.[8] Sources conflict regarding which missile variant ultimately entered service with the Iranian military; one account states that the TL-10/FL-8 and TL-6/FL-9 became the Kowsar and Nasar missiles,[9] while another suggests that the C-701[10] and C-704[11][12] were the ones developed into these two systems.
The missile is sometimes called YJ-7. The YJ-7 missile features a modular seeker, such as TV/CCD, semi-active laser homing, infrared homing (IR), image infrared homing (IIR), and millimeter wave radar (mmW) homing. The seeker can combine multiple tracking modes.[2] The C-701 was not accepted into Chinese military service.[6]
Specifications
| TL-10 | C-701 | TL-6 | C-704 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Hongdu | CASIC | Hongdu | CASIC |
| Launch mass | 105 kg (231 lb) | 117 kg (258 lb) | 350 kg (770 lb) | 360 kg (790 lb) |
| Warhead | 30 kg (66 lb) semi-armor piercing (SAP) | 29–30 kg (64–66 lb) SAP | 130 kg (290 lb) | 130 kg (290 lb) SAP |
| Length | 2.5 m (8.2 ft) | 2.685 m (8.81 ft) | 3.4–3.5 m (11–11 ft) | 3.284 m (10.77 ft) |
| Diameter | 18 cm (7.1 in) | 18 cm (7.1 in) | 28 cm (11 in) | 28 cm (11 in) |
| Span | 568 mm (22.4 in) | 586 mm (23.1 in) | 900 mm (35 in) | 480–1,018 mm (18.9–40.1 in) |
| Range | 25 km (13 nmi) | 25 km (13 nmi) | 35 km (19 nmi) | 38 km (21 nmi) |
| Seeker | TV / Active radar / imaging infrared | |||
| Motor | Dual thrust / dual chamber solid rocket | |||
| Speed | Mach 0.85 | Mach 0.85 | Mach 0.9 | Mach 0.8 |
Variants
- YJ-7
- C-701 AR: Export version with active radar seeker[1]
- C-701T: Export version with electro-optical seeker[1]
- FL-10: “Cheaper version” of the C-701[15]
- Kowsar: Iranian version of C-701[3]
Operators
Current operators
- Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran: C-701, Kowsar (patrol boats,[16] shore batteries.[17])
- Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy: C-701, C-704, C-705.[18]
- People’s Liberation Army Navy: Dennis M. Gormley claimed the C-701 was designated as YJ-7 and fitted on the Harbin Z-8 and Z-9C helicopters.[19] Chinese source claims the C-701 with TV seeker was not accepted into Chinese military service.[6]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e Gormley et al.: page 16
- ^ a b c d e f g “鹰击-8的小兄弟：鹰击-7（C701）反舰导弹”. SohuNews. 21 May 2024.
- ^ a b Cordesman and Lin: page 28
- ^ a b Gormley et al.: page 18
- ^ a b c “射程飙升至50公里！YJ-9增程型配直-20F，舰队防御圈扩大3倍”. Tencent News. 9 November 2025.
- ^ a b c “制导模式进化论：探秘中国新一代空地导弹性能”. Sina News. 18 November 2013.
- ^ a b China Missile Chronology: section “10 April, 2006”
- ^ a b c Hewson, Robert (17 November 2004). “China aids Iran’s tactical missile programme”. Jane’s Defence Weekly.
- ^ “外军观察：提升伊朗军事实力的导弹工业(组图)”. Sina News. 13 April 2006.
“科萨尔”(Kosar)、”纳瑟”(Nasr)、”卡卢斯”(Karus)、”汤达”(Tondar)和前述”诺尔”导弹，分别对应于中国的”飞龙”-8、”飞龙”-9、C-801、C-802
- ^ 王宏亮 (26 March 2017). “宏亮瞻局 波斯湾如何”反介入”？解密伊朗反舰导弹（上）”. The Papaer.
中国出口的另一种小型反舰导弹C-701也进入伊朗军队服役，在伊朗这种导弹被称为”克萨”
- ^ “C-704 (Nasr-1)”. 16 December 2013. Archived from the original on 17 December 2021. Retrieved 28 May 2022.
- ^ O’Hern, Steven (31 October 2012). Iran’s Revolutionary Guard: The Threat That Grows While America Sleeps. Potomac Books. ISBN 9781597977012.
- ^ “简氏:中国帮伊朗设工厂产C704反舰导弹(图)”. China Daily. 27 April 2010.
- ^ “C704” (PDF). China Precision Machinery Import-Export Corporation. July 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 April 2021.
- ^ Cordesman and Lin: page 41
- ^ Cordesman and Lin: page 30
- ^ Cordesman and Lin: page 29
- ^ Taghvaee, Babak (23 May 2026). “DECAPITATION AT SEA”. Key Aero.
- ^ Gormley et al.: page 58
- Bibliography
- “China Missile Chronology” (PDF). Nuclear Threat Initiative. 8 June 2012. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
- Cordesman, Anthony H.; Lin, Aaron (February 2015). The Iranian Sea-Air-Missile Threat to Gulf Shipping (PDF). Center for Strategic and International Studies. ISBN 978-1-4422-4077-3.
- Gormley, Dennis M.; Erickson, Andrew S.; Yuan, Jingdong (2014). A Low-Visibility Force Multiplier: Assessing China’s Cruise Missile Ambitions (PDF) (Report). Washington, D.C.: National Defense University Press. Archived (PDF) from the original on 30 June 2014.