BEIJING: Last week, Chinese aerospace firm Ling Kang Tian Sheng revealed a groundbreaking hypersonic glide missile with a range of 1,300 kilometers. The missile, designated YKJ-1000, reportedly travels at seven times the speed of sound and is dubbed a ‘cement-coated missile’ because of its exterior made from everyday construction materials like foam concrete capable of enduring extreme heat.
Sources within Chinese media indicate that after successful testing phases, the missile is now being mass-produced, with each unit estimated to cost only around $99,000. To put this into perspective, the U.S. SM-6 naval interceptor missile costs roughly $4.1 million—making the YKJ-1000 nearly 40 times cheaper. Additionally, a single missile from the U.S. THAAD missile defense system can cost between $1.2 million and $1.5 million.
Proponents argue that the significant price disparity between this low-cost offensive missile and high-end defense systems could reshape future military strategies and power dynamics.In a discussion with China’s CCTV, military expert V. Dong Shu noted that if the missile gains entry into the global arms market, it could see widespread demand. Many nations still lack hypersonic missile technology, and an affordable, long-range, and highly destructive missile like this could quickly become a preferred option worldwide.
Nevertheless, skeptics online have questioned the feasibility of such a low price tag, raising doubts about how crucial components such as fuel and rocket engines could be produced at such minimal costs.Ling Kang Tian Sheng has promised to release further technical details soon to clarify these claims.
