CASC Unveils CX-1 Supersonic Anti-Ship Cruise Missile At Zhuhai Airshow 2014

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) unveiled today the new CX-1 supersonic anti-ship cruise missile (ASCM) at the Zhuhai Airshow 2014.

The missile has two variants; CX-1B that can be truck launched from land and the CX-1A designed to be surface launched from a vessel at sea.

The CX-1 is mainly intended for attack against ships but also has a secondary land attack capability. It has the ability to strike enemy maneuvering surface targets at sea and high value targets on land.

The version designated CX-1A is intended to be fitted on board surface vessels and launched from oblique/slanted container launchers. The CX-1B is the land based version launched from a 8x8 wheeled truck. The vehicle can carry two missiles.

CASC claims that CX-1 has a speed of Mach 2 to Mach 3, has a radar seeker and uses a Lo-High-Lo flight profile. It is likely an export model to comply with the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR).  It is initially being marketed as a ground-launched anti-ship cruise missile that can be used along with short-range ballistic missile and artillery rockets, cued by unmanned aerial vehicles.

It resembles design features similar to Russian-Indian BrahMos or Russian P-800 Oniks (Yakhont) cruise missile and has a range between 50 km and 280 km. It has a cone inlet air intake and similar dimensions.