Posted on 12/03/2009 4:16:33 PM PST by Flavius
As tensions with Iran rise again, the Islamic Republic is reported to be expanding its naval power in the oil-rich Gulf and the Arabian Sea to be able to command the chokepoint Strait of Hormuz, the only way in or out of the Gulf.
(Excerpt) Read more at upi.com ...
YJ-83
Country: People’s Republic of China
Alternate Name: Eagle Strike, CSS-N-8 Saccade
Class: S/Su/LLCM
Target: Ship
Payload: 165 kg HE
Propulsion: Turbojet
Range: 160.00 km
Guidance: INS, datalink, active/passive radar
Status: Operational
In Service: 1998-Present
Exported: Pakistan
Details
The Ying Ji-83 (YJ-83) is a short-range, solid propellant, single warhead cruise missile developed and manufactured by the People’s Republic of China. Ground-launched, ship-launched, submarine-launched, and air-launched versions exist.
China started development of the YJ-1 (CSS-N-4 “Sardine”) in the mid-1970s, although it did not reveal the missile until 1984. The system was initially intended as a ship- and ground-launched defense against ships, although submarine- and air-launched versions were also developed. The YJ-2 (NATO: CSSC-8 or CSS-N-8 “Saccade”) is a longer range variant of the YJ-1. The YJ-2 began development in 1985, and was initially based on small turbojet technology stolen from U.S. BQM-34 Firebee drones recovered by the Chinese. This technology was later supplemented by auxiliary power units imported for use on civil aircraft programs.
The YJ-83 is an improved version of the YJ-2, on which development was started in 1992. It has been reported that the YJ-83 version has the capability to cruise at supersonic speed, and has an extended maximum range.
Ship-launched YJ-83 can be deployed aboard “Luda” (Type 3) and “Luhu” (Type 052) class destroyers, and “Jianghu 3 and 4” (Type 053 HT) and “Jianwei 1 and 2” (Type 053 H2G and 053) frigates. Submarine-launched versions can be deployed aboard “Song” class (Type 039) and “Han” class (Type 091) submarines, while the air-launched versions have been deployed aboard Su-27, Su-30MKK, Q-5, and JH-7 aircraft and the CHAIC Z-8 helicopter. The ground-launched versions are deployed on wheeled Transporter-Erector-Launcher (TEL) vehicles, each of which is capable of carrying three missiles in its canisters. An encapsulated submarine-launched version also exists that can be launched through standard 533 mm torpedo tubes.
The YJ-83 is similar in appearance to the YJ-2. The missile has four delta-shaped wings at mid-body and four triangular control fins at the rear. The ground- and ship-launched versions are 6.39 m long and have a launch weight of 715 kg including the 160 kg tandem booster rocket. The air-launched version, which does not have a booster rocket, is 5.3 m long and has a launch weight of 555 kg.
Similar to the YJ-2, the YJ-83 has a turbojet engine although it can cruise at supersonic speeds between Mach 1.3 and 1.5. The ground-and ship-launched versions have a maximum range of 160km, and the air-launched version has a maximum range of 250 km. The longer ranges are achieved by inserting a subsonic high level cruise phase. The YJ-83 can cruise at between 10 and 30 m, and drops down to 5 m during the terminal phase. The missile is capable of downloading target coordinates during flight, and can reallocate targets during the terminal phase.
The first YJ-83 is believed to have entered service in 1998, and was first displayed in Jeijing in October 1999. In July and November 2002, YJ-83 missiles were launched from JH-7 aircraft and demonstrated a maximum range of 250 km. China is also believed to have offered the YJ-83 for export under the designation C-803. An unconfirmed report in August 2002 suggested that C-803 missiles were being deployed on Pakistan’s “Khalid” class (Agosta 90B) submarines.(1)
Footnotes
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Drill here, drill now! We cannot longer depend on Gulf oil.
none of this is any good
Iran doesn’t think rationally they are fully
prepared to drag the world into conflict.
The Idea that a naval force can protect the gulf
from projected air power is ludicris.
Of course they may mean to block it with the hulls
of their sunken fleet.
Idiots.
I feel like we are living through a repeat of the events leading up to World War II.
We have a serious economic crisis, a socialist president and a growing threat from fanaticals around the world.
...and I don't mean just Iran.
Will the new Iranian Navy have glass-bottomed vessels so they’ll be able to view the old Iranian Navy? I Actually
would hate to see the world-wide ramifications of an all-out war between the West(?) and Iran, especially with the worthless CIC we are saddled with. Who knows though, maybe in the long run we’d be better off getting the mullahs out once-and-for-all and maybe the people of the USA would finally stand up and demand our gov’t allow a full throttle effort to drill and tap into as many energy resources as possible.
Iran could make a mess of things in the Gulf, but I can’t imagine that they’d last long-—assuming our kenyan-in-chief allowed our forces to fight without undue restriction and allowed them to try to decapitate the beast.
I do worry about our brave warriors in harms way and the disruption of our oil supplies and market issues, but in the end God is in control and we’ll be ok.
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