According to Chinese news media reports, the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation(CASIC) CM-302 missile is being marketed for export as “the world’s best anti-ship missile.”
The missile was showcased at the Zhuhai air show in the southern People’s Republic of China (PRC) in early November, and is advertised as supersonic Anti-Ship Missile (AShM) which can also be used in the land attack role. The report, published by the national newspaper China Daily, suggest that the CM-302 is the export version of CASIC’s YJ-12 supersonic AShM, which is in service with the PRC’s armed forces. It is “the best anti-ship missile available on the world’s arms market” and “it’s not an exaggeration,” Lyu Xiaoge, a CASIC spokesperson told the China Daily.
The missile’s manufacturer CASIC claims the CM-302 operates with a range of 151 nautical miles (280 kilometres), carries a 551lb (250 kilogram) warhead, and holds a 90 percent probability of striking its target. In addition to the technical specificities, the manufacturer’s description states that the missile can sink large surface combatants, such as destroyers and aircraft carriers, claiming that a single missile can disable a 5000-tonne warship. If reports are correct, the CM-302 would be a direct competitor to two other supersonic AShMs available on the market: the Indo-Russian BrahMos Aerospace BrahMo and Russia’s NPO Mashinostroyeniya P-800 Oniks family AShMs. The CM-302 is expected to attract a strong interest among international customers. Pakistan for instance, the PRC’s leading client for conventional weapons, could be a strong CM-302 potential customer.
