China boosts naval firepower by adding YJ-20 hypersonic missiles to 7,500-ton destroyer fleet

China has released footage showing a Type 052D destroyer firing the YJ-20 hypersonic anti-ship missile.

The launch suggests the missile is not limited to the larger Type 055 class and may fit standard vertical launch cells.

Reported range is roughly 1,500 to 2,000 kilometers, with speeds above Mach 6 and a terminal speed near Mach 10.

If more widely deployed, the YJ-20 could significantly boost China’s naval deterrence and complicate U.S. and allied tracking and interception.