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With China unveiling the YJ-21, the question now lies whether the missile lives up to its reputation, and how it compares to India’s BrahMos, a premier supersonic missile
YJ-12 reportedly has a CEP of 5-7 metres, while BrahMos’ CEP is just 1 metre, making it exceptionally accurate. (News18 Hindi)
In a show of military might, China recently showcased its latest weapons during the Victory Day parade, drawing global attention to one missile in particular, the YJ-21. Dubbed a “killer missile” by China, the YJ-21 reportedly travels at Mach 6, six times the speed of sound, and is claimed to strike targets too fast for conventional air defence systems to intercept.
“If we go, we will reach the moon, otherwise by evening…” has long been a saying associated with Chinese goods, reflecting both ambition and audacity. Now, with the unveiling of the YJ-21, the question on many minds is whether the missile lives up to its reputation, and how it compares to India’s BrahMos, a premier supersonic missile.
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YJ-21 vs BrahMos: Range
The YJ-21’s predecessor, the YJ-12, has had varying reported ranges. At the 2016 Zhuhai Airshow, its range was listed at 290 km, while the United States Naval War College Review estimated it could reach up to 400 km. Experts generally place the YJ-12’s range between 250 and 400 km, with speeds of up to Mach 4 depending on the warhead’s size and altitude.
BrahMos, on the other hand, originally had a range of 290 km, now extended to 350 km, travelling at speeds up to Mach 3.5. While the YJ-12 may have a marginal edge in range and speed, the difference is not decisive.
YJ-21 vs BrahMos: Propulsion And Guidance
BrahMos is a multi-stage missile, employing a solid rocket booster in its first stage and a liquid-fuel ramjet in its second. This design, with no moving parts, is noted for being lightweight, reliable, and simple. The booster accelerates the missile to cruise speed, after which the ramjet maintains its trajectory.
The YJ-12 reportedly uses an integrated ramjet system, which experts suggest may be less effective than BrahMos’ multi-stage approach.
In terms of guidance, BrahMos employs a sophisticated dual guidance system. During mid-flight, it relies on an inertial navigation system (INS) and satellite navigation, tracking targets with precision using speed sensors, gyroscopes, and computers. In its terminal phase, BrahMos uses active radar homing and a “fire and forget” system, allowing autonomous trajectory calculation after target lock.
The YJ-12, meanwhile, uses China’s Beidou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) alongside inertial guidance. BDS, seen as a rival to the American GPS, provides independent navigation, offering strategic advantage if GPS is unavailable. Its active radar seeker reportedly ensures terminal accuracy of over 90%.
YJ-21 vs BrahMos: Warhead Capacity
The YJ-12 can carry conventional warheads ranging from 200 to 500 kg, and even a 500 kg nuclear warhead. BrahMos carries a 300 kg high-explosive or semi-armour-piercing warhead, with limited nuclear capability. This gives the YJ-12 an edge in raw destructive potential, raising strategic concerns for India.
YJ-21 vs BrahMos: Accuracy
Precision is measured by circular error probability (CEP), where a lower value indicates greater accuracy. YJ-12 reportedly has a CEP of 5-7 metres, while BrahMos’ CEP is just 1 metre, making it exceptionally accurate. On this front, BrahMos clearly surpasses its Chinese counterpart.
YJ-21 vs BrahMos: Stealth And Sea-Skimming
Sea-skimming capability, flying just above the water to evade radar, is critical in anti-ship operations. BrahMos can maintain a height of 3-4 metres above sea level, effectively avoiding detection by enemy coastal and naval defences. While YJ-12 is also believed to have sea-skimming ability, specific details remain classified.
YJ-21 vs BrahMos: Operational Versatility
BrahMos can be launched from ships, land-based transport erect launchers (TELs), submarines, and fighter aircraft. The ship-launched variant is already active, while land-based and air-launched variants are undergoing induction and testing. BrahMos-A has successfully been tested on the Sukhoi Su-30MKI.
The Indian Navy has deployed BrahMos across multiple destroyers, with additional frigates scheduled for induction. On land, the Indian Army uses BrahMos alongside Akash and Nirbhay missiles to deter Chinese activity along the LAC in eastern Ladakh. Only the Su-30MKI is currently air-capable, but upgrades under BrahMos-NG will enable MiG-29K, HAL Tejas, and Dassault Rafale jets to deploy the missile.
Meanwhile, YJ-12 can be launched from both air and land platforms. Its export variant, the CM-302, is promoted as a top-tier anti-ship missile capable of disabling 5,000-tonne warships at speeds exceeding Mach 3 in the terminal phase. YJ-12 is compatible with multiple Chinese aircraft and four PLAN Sovremenny-class destroyers.
YJ-21 vs BrahMos: Hypersonic Developments
BrahMos-II is being developed as a hypersonic missile with speeds up to Mach 8 and a range of 600–800 km. China’s CM-400AKG “Recker” also claims hypersonic capability with speeds exceeding Mach 5.5 in the terminal phase; Pakistan purchased 60 units in 2020 as a counter to India.
YJ-21 vs BrahMos: Performance
While on paper the YJ-12 appears formidable, Chinese missile performance has historically fallen short of publicised specifications. Analysts note that constraints in China’s microelectronics industry make the YJ-12 more expensive than the US AGM-84 Harpoon, with the radar seeker alone costing around $250,000.
BrahMos, in contrast, combines indigenous technology with proven accuracy and operational flexibility. YJ-12’s larger warhead and independent navigation system offer strategic strength, but secrecy and technical limitations leave its true performance uncertain.
September 08, 2025, 17:37 IST
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