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YJ-21, DF-17, DF-26D hypersonic missiles reviewed at China's V-Day parade; capable of breaking 'island chains,' striking aircraft carriers: expert

Global Times

By Liu Xuanzun, Fan Wei and Liang Rui Published: Sep 03, 2025 11:12 AM

The hypersonic missile formations took the stage at China's V-Day military parade on Wednesday to mark the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. A military affairs experts told the Global Times that the three types of hypersonic missiles have different roles, with strong defense penetrating capabilities, making them vanguards to break the so-called island chains and strike aircraft carriers.

The YJ-21, DF-17 and DF-26D are the three types of hypersonic missiles reviewed at the military parade. They have fast flight speed, strong defense penetrating capability, and high accuracy, making them new killer weapons with all-weather combat capability.

At the 2019 military parade during the celebrations marking the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China in Beijing, the DF-17 missile made its debut. This type of missile is completely independently developed by China and can carry out precise strikes on multiple targets in all weather, multiple directions, and multiple angles. It has the characteristics of shorter launch time, longer maneuvering distance, longer effective range, greater strike power, and stronger defense penetrating capability. It is a cutting-edge weapon in the new generation of medium to short-range strike forces.

Military affairs expert Shao Yongling told the Global Times that among the three types of missiles, the DF-17 has a relatively short range. As a medium to short-range missile, it is mainly used to break the so-called first island chain.

The DF-26 series missile, which was displayed at China's V-Day military parade in 2015, is a ballistic missile with both nuclear and conventional capabilities. It can be equipped with nuclear or conventional warheads. It can move across regions, flexibly choose launch sites, and accurately strike ground, underground, and sea targets. It has the characteristics of long range, high accuracy, strong defense penetrating and fast response capabilities, making it the long-range strike power of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Rocket Force.

"The DF-26 series, as a type of medium to long-range ballistic missile, mainly targets the so-called second island chain," Shao said. She added that the DF-26D showcased on Wednesday is the latest model of the DF-26 series missile, which means that this missile is a new upgrade on the basis of the previous DF-26 series missile. "It is officially defined as a hypersonic ballistic missile, which indicates that the DF-26D missile may adopt some hypersonic configuration designs like the DF-17."

The YJ-21 missile made its debut at the 14th Airshow China in 2022. Previous reports showed that this type of missile is an advanced air-launched ballistic missile equipped by the PLA Air Force. It demonstrates that the PLA Air Force has advanced strike methods with long range, fast speed, high accuracy, strong penetration, and fierce destruction, and that the PLA Air Force can quickly strike and effectively destroy various targets on land and sea with this powerful weapon in possession to balance and deter enemies.

"The YJ-21 is mainly carried by the H-6K medium to long-range bomber, and with the help of the bomber as a launch platform, the YJ-21 has long-range strike capability," Shao said, adding that as an air-launched hypersonic missile, the YJ-21 can be used to strike time-sensitive targets, especially high-value targets with tight protection such as aircraft carriers.