YJ-6

The YJ-6 (Chinese: 鹰击-6; pinyin: yingji-6; lit. 'eagle strike 6') is a series of Chinese subsonic air-launched anti-ship missile. It is manufactured by the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation Third Academy. The export version is called C-601 and the NATO reporting name is CH-AS-1 Kraken.^[1][2]

YJ-6
YJ-6 missile
Type	Anti-ship cruise missile
Place of origin	China
Service history
In service	1986-
Specifications
Mass	2440 kg
Length	7.63 m
Diameter	0.76 m
Warhead	500 kg semi-armor-piercing warhead

Development

YJ-6 is China's first air-launched anti-ship missile in large-scale service. It was developed from the land-based HY-2 missile with a more compact airframe for aircraft carriage and a newer active-radar seeker. The missile used liquid fuel and a large warhead inherited from HY-2. It entered service in 1986.^[3][4]

YJ-63, also known as KD-63 or K/AKD-63,^[5][6] was an air-to-surface missile developed based on the YJ-6.^[7] YJ-63 (KD-63) is an air-launched cruise missile with an electro-optical (EO) seeker, allowing man-in-the-loop terminal steering via a data link.^[2]

Variants

Export C-611 missile, based on YJ-61

YJ-6

Base variant

YJ-61

Improved variant, range extended to 200 km.^[8]

YJ-63 (KD-63)

Air-launched LACM sharing visual characteristics of the HY-2, HY-4, and YJ-6. 200 km range.^[2]

C-601

Export variant of YJ-6

C-611

Export variant of YJ-61

C-603

Export variant of YJ-63^[9]