C-301
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The C-301 (also known as HY-3, with western designation CSSC-X-6) is a large supersonic coastal defense anti-ship missile with four solid rocket boosters and two ramjet sustainer engines located aft of the missile body. When the booster motors have accelerated the missile to past Mach 1.8, the kerosene-fueled ramjet engines kick in, accelerating the missile to a cruise speed of greater than Mach 2.0. The maximum range is 180 km, and it can fly below 50 meters at its cruise altitude. The missile is programmed to descent from cruising altitude to a much lower altitude before the active-radar terminal phase begins, then dive onto the target just prior to impact.
Like its smaller cousin C-101, the C-301 suffers from higher cruise altitude and slower speed when compared to the more potent SS-N-22, and thus is relatively prone to interception in comparison to the SS-N-22. Due to its similar size to the SS-N-22, the radar cross section is not much smaller than that of the SS-N-22, but due to its lower speed, the infrared signature of C-301 is somewhat lower than that of SS-N-22 to a certain degree. However, C-301 is cheaper to produce than its Russian counterparts. As a result, C-301 only saw very limited service in the People's Liberation Army Navy as a coastal defense missile, and a stopgap measure in a limited scale production as more capable missiles becoming more widely available. C-301 is also used as a stopgap measure to replace the obsolete C-601 anti-ship missile, the air-launched version of the Silkworm missile carried on the Xi’an H-6 bomber (with one missile under each wing, like the C-601), until the more potent supersonic anti-ship missiles such as the Russian Kh-41, the air-launched version of the SS-N-22 become widely available. However, unlike its smaller cousin C-101 that can be carried by numerous aircraft in the Chinese inventory, the C-301 can only be carried by Xi’an H-6 due to its large size and weight. It is safe to conclude that as newer missiles entering services in greater numbers, the C-301 would eventually reduced to a sole coastal defense missile.
Just like its smaller cousin C-101, Chinese claim that other type of seekers such as infrared imaging and television seekers have been successfully developed for the missile, but the status is rather uncertain due to the availability of newer anti-ship missiles.
[edit] Specifications
- Length: 9.85 m
- Wingspan: 2.24 m
- Weight: 3,400 kg
- Warhead: 500 kg
- Speed: > Mach 2
- Range: 180 km
- Guidance: active radar homing seeker (Other types of seekers being developed)
- Propulsion: two side-mounted ramjet engines at the rear of the airframe with 4 rocket boosters.
Original developer: China Precision Machinery Import-Export Co.
