China's hypersonic missile attracts attention because of its 'cheap as free' price

(CLO) China has just introduced the YKJ-1000 hypersonic missile with a range of about 1,300 km and a price described as "cheap as a gift".

The rocket, produced by Lingkong Tianxing Aerospace Company, uses materials such as foam concrete in its coating, so it is nicknamed the "cement-coated" rocket by netizens.

According to published information, the YKJ-1000 costs about 700,000 yuan (about 2.6 billion VND), much lower than American missiles, which usually range from 4 million to 15 million USD (about 105 billion to 395 billion VND).

Commenting on CCTV, military expert Wei Dongxu said that the price tag could make the weapon “extremely popular” among smaller countries if it were introduced to the international defense market. He told CCTV that the missile, with its long range, strong penetration ability and high destructive power, would be an attractive option because of its low price.

China's private aerospace company Lingkong Tianxing has just launched the YKJ-1000. Source: Lingkong Tianxing

Analysts say the low production costs reflect China’s ability to manufacture large-scale weapons. If exported, the products could help smaller countries increase their military competitiveness in conflicts with larger countries.

According to Lingkong Tianxing, the missile's heat-resistant coating uses civilian foam cement and conventional components. The detonation nut is replaced with an electric nut, and many structural parts are molded to reduce costs.

In addition to the YKJ-1000 missile, China has also attracted attention with new military research in recent times. In November, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) said it had conducted simulations of ground attacks using a four-legged robot – dubbed a “robot wolf” by the media. Images broadcast on CCTV showed the robot being used as the first wave of attack in a drone-led attack scenario.

Source: https://congluan.vn/ten-lua-sieu-thanh-trung-quoc-gay-chu-y-vi-gia-re-nhu-cho-10321554.html