Report: China Tests Stealth Anti-Ship Missile With Radar-Evading Design

China has test-fired a new stealth-enhanced anti-ship cruise missile featuring a black radar-absorbing coating, according to a report by the South China Morning Post. The missile was tested from a Chinese Navy warship in an unidentified sea area as part of what was described as an extreme-performance test. State broadcaster CCTV released footage of the launch last Saturday, drawing attention to the missile’s distinctive black exterior.

Military experts quoted by the report identified the weapon as a new variant of the YJ-18A anti-ship missile. The YJ-18A is designed to cruise at subsonic speeds before switching to supersonic speed during its terminal approach to a target. The missile is reportedly deployed on Chinese naval vessels including the Type 052D and Type 055 destroyers, giving those warships a long-range anti-ship strike capability.

Chinese military commentator and former People’s Liberation Army instructor Song Zhongping told the South China Morning Post that the black finish appeared to be a radar-absorbing stealth coating. Such materials are intended to reduce the radar energy reflected toward an opposing radar system, potentially making the missile more difficult to detect. Song also pointed to the coating’s possible visual camouflage benefit over darker ocean waters.

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The reported missile combines two approaches aimed at improving its ability to penetrate naval defences: reduced detectability and high terminal speed. The YJ-18 family is designed to remain at a lower cruise speed before accelerating to supersonic speed during its final approach. According to previously reported specifications, the original YJ-18 has a range of about 540 km, while its terminal phase can reach around Mach 3.

The reported test comes as China continues to invest heavily in stealth and advanced military technologies across its armed forces. The country has been developing stealth aircraft, unmanned systems and naval technologies alongside efforts to improve its ability to detect and counter opposing stealth platforms. The latest missile development reflects the broader focus on reducing the vulnerability of weapons and platforms to modern surveillance and air-defence systems.

The development could further strengthen China’s long-range anti-ship capabilities if the reported missile variant enters operational service. However, details about the missile’s specifications, radar signature, range and operational status have not been officially disclosed. The available assessment is based largely on footage released by Chinese state media and analysis from military experts quoted by the South China Morning Post.

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