PLA Navy news, pics and videos

Blitzo

Blitzo

Lieutenant General
Staff member
Super Moderator
Registered Member
SinoSoldier said:
It has been claimed (by a fairly credible member "StarMil" or "Interstellar") that the AShM variant of the YJ-18 is 8+ meters long (IIRC), which means that at least some of the cells aboard the 052D are 9 m long.

A few folks have also stated that the LACM variant shouldn't exceed the AShM in length.
Click to expand...

Yes it definitely goes without saying that 052D at least has some 9m cells.

However I suppose I'm wondering how many 9m cells they have, and also whether the land attack YJ-18 variant needs the 9m variant or if it can fit in the 7m one.
In other words, how many LACM YJ-18s can fit in an 052D (and I suppose 055, as we don't know if all of its VLS cells are also 9m).
 
T

Tam

Brigadier
Registered Member
SinoSoldier said:
POP3
Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!
:


Interesting points (please correct if inaccurate):
  • The Type 055 will play a huge role in a hypothetical Taiwan conflict
  • Adding to the point above, one of its main roles would be land attack
  • The subsystems aboard the 052D were originally developed for the 055
  • The universal VLS is able to launch LRSAM, MRSAM, AShM, or LACM missiles
  • The universal VLS does not yet have midcourse-phase anti-ballistic missile capabilities
  • Both the AShM and LACM used by the 055 come from the YJ-18 family; its LACM is NOT the CJ-10
  • YJ-18 AShM & LACM may be launched from surface ships or submarines (currently on 052D, 055, and 09IIIB)
  • Development of the YJ-18 was extremely arduous and plagued with difficulties
  • Land-attack capabilities will allow the PLAN to prosecute targets in the mountain ranges of Eastern Taiwan
Click to expand...


More and more sounds like a parallel to the Klub-Kalibr family. The one thing missing is that the Klub-Kalibr family also has antisubmarine or ASROCs.

If YJ-18 family are like the Kalibrs, the cruise missiles would also be around 8 to 9 meters in length. Even the ASROCs are that long.

The only short members of the Kalibr family are those launched from submarines.

Would be interesting to see in the future if the Type 054B would use YJ-18 family missiles, as we know the Admiral Grigorovich and Gorshkov classes of frigates have Kalibrs.
 
SinoSoldier

SinoSoldier

Colonel
Bltizo said:
Yes it definitely goes without saying that 052D at least has some 9m cells.

However I suppose I'm wondering how many 9m cells they have, and also whether the land attack YJ-18 variant needs the 9m variant or if it can fit in the 7m one.
In other words, how many LACM YJ-18s can fit in an 052D (and I suppose 055, as we don't know if all of its VLS cells are also 9m).
Click to expand...

At least 16, given that the cells are built into modules of eight each, and we've seen the 052D launch the YJ-18 from the back portion of its aft VLS complex. My previous point was that there are rumors that the LACM variant doesn't require the 9 m cell.
 
T

Tam

Brigadier
Registered Member
SinoSoldier said:
At least 16, given that the cells are built into modules of eight each, and we've seen the 052D launch the YJ-18 from the back portion of its aft VLS complex. My previous point was that there are rumors that the LACM variant doesn't require the 9 m cell.
Click to expand...

If you are using the CJ-10 family of missiles, you don't need the 9m, and could use the 7m. YJ-62 and YJ-100 belong to this family. But if the YJ-18 family is following the Kalibrs, you will likely need 9m for the cruise missile. Taking advantage of the extra 2m means more propellant for more range, or bigger warhead, and more things in between, like guidance. It potentially allows for a better missile.
 
SinoSoldier

SinoSoldier

Colonel
Tam said:
If you are using the CJ-10 family of missiles, you don't need the 9m, and could use the 7m. YJ-62 and YJ-100 belong to this family. But if the YJ-18 family is following the Kalibrs, you will likely need 9m for the cruise missile. Taking advantage of the extra 2m means more propellant for more range, or bigger warhead, and more things in between, like guidance. It potentially allows for a better missile.
Click to expand...

IIRC the Russian-specific cruise missile variants of the Kalibr are under 7 meters. Anyways if they can get the Tomahawk to below 7 meters, I don't think the Chinese will have that much trouble applying the same design principles to their own subsystems irrespective of the YJ-18's supposed lineage to the Kalibr.
 
T

Tam

Brigadier
Registered Member
SinoSoldier said:
IIRC the Russian-specific cruise missile variants of the Kalibr are under 7 meters. Anyways if they can get the Tomahawk to below 7 meters, I don't think the Chinese will have that much trouble applying the same design principles to their own subsystems irrespective of the YJ-18's supposed lineage to the Kalibr.
Click to expand...

3M-14E is 6.2 meters, but 3M-14TE is 8.9 meters. But 3M-14E is said to be submarine launched, while 3M-14TE is from a ship. The length coming from the booster that comes for the VLS. Both missiles perform similarly.

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!


The VLS used to launch Kalibrs on surface ships is called UK-SK. There is only one length to this VLS and that's like 9 meters.

The submarine launched antiship Kalibr is long too, at 8.2 meters, but the VLS launched is even longer at 8.9 meters.

Submarine launched are Club S, VLS launched are Club N, with the added "T" on their designations.
 
SinoSoldier

SinoSoldier

Colonel
Tam said:
3M-14E is 6.2 meters, but 3M-14TE is 8.9 meters. But 3M-14E is said to be submarine launched, while 3M-14TE is from a ship. The length coming from the booster that comes for the VLS. Both missiles perform similarly.

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!


The VLS used to launch Kalibrs on surface ships is called UK-SK. There is only one length to this VLS and that's like 9 meters.

The submarine launched antiship Kalibr is long too, at 8.2 meters, but the VLS launched is even longer at 8.9 meters.

Submarine launched are Club S, VLS launched are Club N, with the added "T" on their designations.
Click to expand...

Given that the YJ-18 differs significantly from the Kalibr family, at least internally according to reputable sources, it is not a stretch to suppose that Chinese engineers have found ways around the length issue.

And even if the LACM variants were 8.9 meters long, the 052D and 055 would still have land-attack capabilities (remember, only Henri K. is proposing that not all 052D cells are 9 meters in length).
 
Blitzo

Blitzo

Lieutenant General
Staff member
Super Moderator
Registered Member
SinoSoldier said:
At least 16, given that the cells are built into modules of eight each, and we've seen the 052D launch the YJ-18 from the back portion of its aft VLS complex. My previous point was that there are rumors that the LACM variant doesn't require the 9 m cell.
Click to expand...

have we seen 052D launch YJ-18 from the aft VLS complex? I can't recall...
 
D

Deleted member 13312

Guest
should the VLSs not be readily changed in length according to the needs of the mission ? And if not, if expenses are not and issue, can the VLS's not be all 9m in length to accommodate all types of missiles. There is no hard and fast rules saying that a shorter missile cannot be launched from a longer VLS cell.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top