I think it is a rumor based on a misinterpretation and this keeps going on and on and no-one corrects it: When the first images of that ALCM appeared one posted misinterpret the PLAAF H-6M with a naval H-6G and from this moment on - since a naval bomber does not uses strategic missiles and naturally only ASMs - this missile on a bomber with that huge drum-like radar is an ASM.
By now we know that the PLAAF updated a few of its older bombers to ALCM-carriers and these have a strategic role ... no anti-shipping role !
For this the PLANAF fiends the latest YJ-12 which is due to its speed a much better suited weapon against a ship. Does anyone else uses a subsonic ALCM in the ASM-role ??
Just my two cents.
Deino
Personally I think there probably is an AShM called the YJ-100, based on the KD-20/CJ-10 LACM, even huitong mentions the designation briefly on his site, that KD-20 may have first been called YJ-100.
Maybe the fact that two missiles were based on the same airframe caused confusion, who knows. Or maybe KD-20 is simply the official PLA designation of YJ-100.
The reason why I'm considering the anti ship YJ-100 to be a possible real project, is the semi official disclosure on CCTV and then later repeated in a written article on the PLA website. I think it definitely makes sense for an anti shipping variant of CJ-10 to have been developed, similar to the tomahawk block iv with anti ship capabilities that was recently fired at a moving surface target just a few days ago. So the question is, are the missiles labelled KD-20 on H-6 the same missile as YJ-100 (in other words, KD-20 is the official designation for YJ-100, and KD-20 has both anti ship and land attack roles in the same missile), or are the KD-20s carried by the H-6 just a land attack weapon and YJ-100 is a separate variant altogether? Because the China military online website (sponsored by PLA) has a picture of an H-6 carrying KD-20s but with a caption that it is an H-6 carrying YJ-100. It could be the article is inaccurate (wouldn't be the first time, from a supposed official source), but it could be an accidental disclosure that KD-20 and YJ-100 is the same weapon.
There are some issues with the article/interview: Li Li mentions JH-7B as being "see through" which implies stealth (and we all know JH-7B isn't stealthy) and she also seems unsure as to the true range of YJ-100. So she may just be saying stuff that is being discussed by chinese forums, but at the same time I'm not sure if YJ-100 was discussed in any kind of prominence prior to the interview and article being written. Which is why I'm tentatively not dismissing the idea of YJ-100.
Another question is: if YJ-12 has the 300-400km supersonic role, and YJ-100 is subsonic with a long range of 800km, then where does the YJ-18 fit in? It's rumoured to be subsonic with a range of 400-600km, but possibly with a supersonic terminal phase like klub, but we haven't seen any pictures of it.
China's anti-ship missiles YJ-12 and YJ-100 revealed
(Source: China Military Online) 2015-02-04
A photo of YJ-12 supersonic anti-ship missiles carried by the H-6G strategic bomber is circulated online.
BEIJING, February 4 (ChinaMil) -- Photos of China's supersonic anti-ship missile "YJ-12" and long-range anti-ship cruise missile "YJ-100" were recently revealed online.
Someone analyzed that the warheads of the "YJ-12" and "YJ-100" have strong power. A single missile can paralyze or sink a warship weighing ten thousand tons.
Li Li, a military expert, during the China Central Television (CCTV) interview, said both missiles can cause a severe damage to enemy's large surface combat vessels. "The "YJ-12" and "YJ-100" can be regarded as an anti-ship duo," Li commented on the two missiles. The highlight of the "YJ-12" is not its range but speed. It can reach "Double Three" or "Double Four", namely a range of 300 kilometers at Mach 3 (1.02 kilometers per second) or a range of 400 kilometers at Mach 4 (1.36 kilometers per second). When the missile is launched at low altitude at the terminal attack stage and carries out hide-and-defense penetration at high speed, the enemy can barely response within a period of time.
In addition, the missile can carry a warhead of 400-500 kilograms. It will give a heavy strike to large surface vessels. And an operational range between 300-400 kilometers has reached the maximum air-defense range of the surface vessels. The formidable anti-ship ability of the "YJ-12" is the major concern of the United States.
The "YJ-100" is not a supersonic missile but has a long attack range. Li said that if the range of the "YJ-100" can reach as long as 800 kilometers, it will strike aircraft carrier and large surface targets in a long distance that beyond visual range and the enemy can hardly response properly.
If the range can reach 2,500 kilometers as same as that of American air-launched cruise missiles, it will do a great damage to enemy’s large surface warships.
It is reported that the "YJ-12" will be launched from the H-6 strategic bomber and a new type JH-7B fighter bomber of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN). In addition, the type-055 guided missile destroyer will be equipped with the "YJ-100" to promote its battle strength.
Li said that the H-6K is an upgraded version of the H-6 strategic bomber. It aims to carry cruise missiles under its wings to give long-range attack to large surface targets beyond the defense area. The JH-7B fighter bomber is essentially a see-through type FeiBao (fighter bomber) equipped with the "YJ-12" so as to strike air and sea targets simultaneously.
The type-055 destroyer will be used as one of the largest surface combat vessels, apart from the aircraft carrier, and must be a basic carrier of oversized large-scale missiles. The destroyer, on its front end and rear end respectively mounted with 64 vertical launching systems, can not only carry large-size anti-ship missiles like the "YJ-100", but can also carry missiles for different purposes, including anti-submarine and air-defense missiles.
