China has demonstrated the launch of its YJ-20 hypersonic anti-ship missile from a Type 052D destroyer, showcasing a significant advancement in its naval strike capabilities. A video released by the state broadcaster CCTV on Wednesday captured the missile being fired from the vertical launch system (VLS) of the Type 052D vessel, though the date of the footage was not disclosed.

The YJ-20, also known as the Eagle Strike-20 or a "carrier-killer," is China’s first sea-based hypersonic missile to enter mass production. It was initially unveiled during a military parade in Beijing last September and has previously been tested on the larger Type 055 destroyer. The recent launch marked the first public demonstration of the missile being deployed from the Type 052D class, which forms the bulk of China’s modern destroyer fleet.

The Type 052D destroyer displaces approximately 7,500 tonnes and carries 64 VLS cells, while the more advanced Type 055, with 112 VLS cells, weighs around 11,000 tonnes. Both platforms are configured to fire the YJ-20, which measures just under nine meters in length and is less than 850 millimeters in diameter.

According to Chinese military analyst Song Zhongping, a former instructor with the People’s Liberation Army, equipping the Type 052D with the YJ-20 would dramatically enhance China’s naval firepower, posing substantial challenges for potential adversaries. "If advanced Chinese surface vessels could all launch hypersonic anti-ship missiles, it would be fatal to adversaries," he said.

The missile reportedly travels at speeds exceeding Mach 6 during its midcourse flight and has an estimated range of 1,000 to 1,500 kilometers, capable of reaching key strategic targets such as aircraft carriers and large surface combatants. It flies at an altitude of 40 to 60 kilometers, which analysts say falls within a radar blind spot for most early-warning systems, thereby limiting the response time for targeted forces. The missile’s maximum range can be covered in approximately 13 to 14 minutes, compressing the enemy’s reaction window.

Lyle Goldstein, director of the Asia program at the Washington-based think tank Defence Priorities, described the integration of the YJ-20 into China’s fleet as more substantive than previously understood. He noted that even before this development, he believed U.S. Navy surface vessels faced severe operational limitations near Taiwan and in the South China Sea. “This new development makes that problem even more acute,” Goldstein said.

China currently operates 35 Type 052D and 10 Type 055 destroyers, reflecting a growing capacity to deploy advanced weaponry on multiple large surface combatants. The YJ-20’s deployment across these platforms marks a notable escalation in China’s maritime strike capabilities, underscoring the challenges it presents to U.S. and allied naval forces operating in contested regions.