Missile C-601

The C-601, designated YJ-6 in domestic service and assigned the NATO reporting name CH-AS-1 Kraken, is an air-launched anti-ship cruise missile. It was developed from the land-based HY-2 missile, utilizing a modified airframe for aircraft carriage and an active-radar seeker. The system entered service in 1986.

The missile is a subsonic platform powered by liquid fuel and is equipped with a semi-armor-piercing warhead. While the base C-601 uses active-radar guidance, the YJ-63 (KD-63) variant is an air-to-surface cruise missile that utilizes an electro-optical seeker. This seeker enables terminal steering via a man-in-the-loop data link. The YJ-63 variant shares visual characteristics with the HY-2 and HY-4 missile families.

The YJ-6 was the first air-launched anti-ship missile to enter large-scale service in China and is integrated onto H-6 bombers. The C-601 is the export version of the base YJ-6. The system has been exported under several designations, including the C-611, an improved variant with extended range, and the C-603, which is the export version of the land-attack YJ-63. Combat use of the system includes an engagement by H-6 bombers against a United States Navy Aegis cruiser.