CJ-10 (missile)

The CJ-10 is a second-generation Chinese land-attack cruise missile. It is derived from the Kh-55 missile. It is reportedly manufactured by the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation Third Academy and the China Haiying Electro-Mechanical Technology Academy.

Initially, the CJ-10 was identified as the DH-10 by Western media and analysts. United States Department of Defense reports used "DH-10" until 2011, and then "CJ-10" from 2012. Publications may use both terms interchangeably. The Center for Strategic and International Studies believes that the CJ-10 is a member of the Hongniao (HN) series of missiles; Ian Easton believes that the CJ-10 is the same missile as the HN-2, and that the HN-3 is the "DH-10A".

Description
In the September 2014 edition of Joint Forces Quarterly, an article reportedly described CJ-10 as a subsonic missile with a range of more than 1,500 km and a 500 kg payload. The article attributes the missile having a guidance package using inertial navigation system, satellite navigation, terrain contour matching, and a likely Digital Scene-Mapping Area Correlator for terminal guidance. Ships and transporter erector launchers were listed as launch platforms.

In 2013, the United States believes that the missile has a range of more than 1,500 km, and can potentially carry either conventional or nuclear payloads; other sources claim the missile has ranges of 2,000 km, or as much as 4,000 km. In 2004, the CJ-10 was credited with a CEP of 10 m.

The YJ-100 is a subsonic anti-ship version of the CJ-10 with a range of 800 km. The missile can be air-launched by the H-6 bomber and fired from a vertical launching system of the Type 055 destroyer according to Chinese expert Li Li on Chinese television. The YJ-100 will have an onboard radar and is potentially a counter to the American AGM-158C LRASM.

Development
The development of the CJ-10 could have potentially benefited significantly from Chinese acquisition of NATO and Soviet missile technology in the 1990s, notably the Kh-55 (purchased from Ukraine), and the Tomahawk cruise missiles (that were unexploded and purchased from Iraq and Serbia). The detailed production engineering data packages of the Kh-55 LACM were bought from Ukraine in 2001. A 1995 Russian document suggested a complete production facility had been transferred to Shanghai, for the development of a nuclear-armed cruise missile. Originally it was thought that this was based on the 300 km-range Raduga Kh-15 (AS-16 'Kickback'), but it now appears that it was the Kh-55 that was transferred to China.

Jane's Information Group reported the CJ-10 was tested 2004. An August 2012 report by Jane's indicated that a shipborne variant of the missile may have been tested on Bi Sheng, a Chinese weapons trial ship.

The United States in 2008 estimated that 50–250 missiles were in service, increasing to 150–350 in 2009.

Variants

 * CJ-10
 * Baseline version. Known as DH-10 during the prototype phase.


 * CJ-10A (DF-10A)
 * Land-attack cruise missile. Reportedly a stealthier, more accurate, version of the CJ-10.


 * CJ-10K
 * Air-launched version with a 1500 km range; may be carried by the Xian H-6K.


 * "DH-2000"
 * Supposedly a supersonic version of the DH-10A.


 * CJ-20
 * Air-launched version of the CJ-10 with an estimated range of more than 2,000 km. Reportedly been tested on the Xian H-6; each bomber may carry four missiles externally.


 * YJ-100
 * Anti-ship version with an 800 km range, launched by H-6 bomber and Type 055 destroyer.

Operators

 * People's Liberation Army Rocket Force: 200–500 CJ-10 (est. )
 * People's Liberation Army Rocket Force: 200–500 CJ-10 (est. )