China Develops World's Largest Aircraft Carrier Ballistic Missile

Hypersonic Anti-Ship Ballistic Missile Mounted on H-6N Strategic Bomber

[Researcher Han-ul Seo, Aviation Guidance Research Team 3, Defense Agency for Technology and Quality] China has been observed arming and flying the H-6N strategic bomber with a missile presumed to be a hypersonic Anti-Ship Ballistic Missile (ASBM).

The United States has designated this anti-ship ballistic missile as the CH-AS-X-13 missile, which was first reported in April 2018.

Experts speculate that this missile is an improved version of China’s DF-21D missile and is believed to be an air-launched anti-ship ballistic missile. The DF-21D missile is a modified DF-21 medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM), measuring 12.3 meters in length with a range of approximately 2,000 km, designed as a ship-targeting ballistic missile.

The CH-AS-X-13 is known to possess the capability to strike aircraft carriers. In particular, experts say this missile appears to have been developed to target U.S. aircraft carriers, but it can also target all other naval vessels.

This anti-ship ballistic missile employs a two-stage solid-propellant rocket engine and is expected to be capable of carrying nuclear warheads in addition to conventional explosives. The combat radius of the H-6N bomber equipped with the missile is about 6,000 km, and the missile’s operational range reaches approximately 3,000 km, making it a significant threat to both India and the U.S. Navy.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.