China's Type 052D destroyer successfully fires YJ-21 hypersonic missile, enhancing naval capabilities and challenging US forces in the Pacific.
A Chinese Type 052D destroyer has launched a YJ-21 hypersonic anti-ship missile, marking the first time the weapon has been fired from a smaller warship, reported Hong Kong's South China Morning Post.
State broadcaster CCTV released video showing the missile fired from a vertical launch system, though it did not specify when the test took place. The YJ-21 was first unveiled at Beijing's military parade in September last year and is China's first sea-based hypersonic anti-ship missile to enter mass production.
Military commentator Song Zhongping, a former People's Liberation Army instructor, stated that the deployment would significantly improve China's naval combat capabilities and pose new challenges for the US Navy and its allies.
Analysts noted that fitting the YJ-21 to the Type 052D class expands China's ability to project power at sea, signaling a step forward in its efforts to counter US carrier groups in the Pacific.
