90% cost cut: Chinese civilian firm enters mass production of Mach 7 hypersonic missiles
Beijing-based Lingkong Tianxing Technology releases video showing the YKJ-1000 striking a target in a desert testing range
On Tuesday, Beijing-based Lingkong Tianxing Technology released a video on its official social media account showcasing the YKJ-1000 hypersonic missile in flight and how it struck a real target in a desert testing range.
A company representative said the missile was already in mass production at just one-tenth the cost of traditional missiles.
The missile has a range of 500 to 1,300km (310 to 808 miles), reaches speeds of Mach 5 to 7 and maintains powered flight for six minutes.
Its launch vehicle is designed to resemble a standard shipping container. In the video recording, the missile was transported by truck to a desert launch site, where it automatically deployed stabiliser supports from its four corners.
Animated footage indicated the missile could identify targets mid-flight and autonomously evade threats, suggesting it could bypass defensive screens such as naval carrier strike groups or air defence systems.