China Unveils YJ-9ER Anti-Ship Missile With Double Range Against Fast-Moving Warships

China has presented the YJ-9ER, an extended-range version of the air-launched YJ-9 anti-ship missile intended for engaging small, fast-moving surface targets. Published specifications indicate a range of approximately 30 kilometers when launched from a helicopter and 60 kilometers from a fixed-wing aircraft, roughly double the corresponding figures attributed to the earlier missile. The weapon is positioned as a precision option against patrol craft and other maneuvering vessels, with launch-platform altitude and flight conditions affecting its engagement envelope. Its public unveiling and reported performance figures do not establish production quantities, operational deployment or independently verified combat effectiveness.