Chinese firm unveils new cruise missile
Could be cost-effective aircraft carrier killer, fleet demolisher: expert
Chinese mining company Guangdong Hongda Blasting has revealed technical details of its recently tested supersonic cruise missile, HD-1, at the Airshow China 2018 in Zhuhai, South China’s Guangdong Province, leading a military expert to believe it could be a cost-efficient aircraft carrier killer and fleet demolisher.
The made-for-export HD-1 debuted at the air show, which runs from Tuesday to Sunday.
The missile uses a solid-propellant ramjet and can reach targets 290 kilometers away at a speed of Mach 2.2 to 3.5, according to the description the company released at the show.
Weighing 2,200 kilograms, the weapon can fly as high as 15 kilometers and as low as 5-10 meters when sea skimming, the description said.
The company claims it takes less than 5 minutes to prepare for a launch, and less than 10 seconds to launch a second one. It can accurately hit ground and sea targets, the company said.
Wei Dongxu, a Beijingbased military analyst, told the Global Times on Friday that the flight speed and altitudes make the HD-1 very difficult to intercept.
“It could be an awesome aircraft carrier killer,” Wei said, noting a saturated attack by the HD-1 can even demolish an entire fleet,” he said.
The HD-1 can be launched from a land-based transport erection and launch vehicle (TEL), which was also displayed at the show.
One TEL can be loaded with 6 missiles, which can be fired with a single push of a button. The vehicle adopts an 8x8 all-wheel chassis, making it very mobile and can withdraw within 3 minutes after launch, ensuring its strong battlefield survivability, the company said.
In addition to the basic version, the company also introduced the HD-1A, an HD-1 variant that can be launched in the air by fighter jets and bombers and has similar capabilities.
The HD-1 can also be launched from a ship, the company said.
Capable of being used on multiple platforms is a major selling point of this weapon, Wei noted.
The missile was successfully tested in October. Military experts said it has the potential to rival the BrahMos missile jointly developed by India and Russia.
Wei said that the HD-1’s capability has already surpassed earlier versions of the BrahMos. He expects the price of the Chinese missile to be significantly lower than similar products on the international arms market.
Many foreign military representatives stopped by the HD-1 at the air show.