Missile C-601
Summary
| Category | Anti-Ship Missiles |
| Sub-type | Anti-ship missile |
| Origin country | 🇨🇳 China |
| Manufacturer | CHETA |
| Status | In service |
| Year of service | 1986 |
Technical specifications
| Warhead | High Explosive |
| Warhead weight | 500 kg (1,102 lb) |
| Diameter | 760 mm (29.9 in) |
| Span | 2,400 mm (94.5 in) |
| Length | 7,100 mm (279.5 in) |
| Weight | 2,988 kg (6,587 lb) |
| Range | 100 km (62 mi) |
| Max. speed | 1,111 km/h (Mach 1.1) |
C-601 scale diagram
Operators
Carried by
Description
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.