The YJ-8 (Yingji-8, export designation – C-801) is the first anti-ship missile fully developed by Chinese specialists. Work on the missile began in 1977. The first test launches of the YJ-8 were conducted in September 1985. In 1987, final changes were made to the missile’s design.
An air-launched variant of the missile, designated YJ-8K (C-801K), was developed for a modified version of the H-5 bomber. The export variant of the missile was successfully tested for use with Iranian F-4 Phantom multi-role fighters. In terms of its characteristics, the missile is close to the American Harpoon anti-ship missile.
Advanced Development and Variants
In the early 1990s, a modified version of the missile, designated YJ-81 (C-801A), was developed. Thanks to design changes, the effective range of the missile was almost doubled, reaching up to 80 kilometers. In the late 1990s, successful test launches of the C-801A were carried out from the JH-7 strike fighter.
Multi-Platform Versatility
Based on the C-801A, a modification for Song-class submarines, the YJ-8 Qian (C-801Q), was created. This demonstrated the versatility and adaptability of the YJ-8 platform across different launch platforms.