YGG-9 Yusŏng Chu
| YGG-9 "Yusŏng Chu" | |
|---|---|
 Diagram of the YGG-9G and its pylon. | |
| Type | Long-range active radar homing air-to-air missile |
| Place of origin | Menghe |
| Service history | |
| In service | 2018-present |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | Buksŏng Industries Group |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 600 kg |
| Length | 4.57 m |
| Diameter | 400 mm |
| Warhead | 60 kg HE fragmenting |
Detonation mechanism | Laser proximity fuse |
| Engine | Boost-sustain solid-fuel rocket |
Operational range | 300-400 km |
| Speed | Mach 5-6 |
Guidance system | command and inertial guidance, terminal active radar homing |
Launch platform | Songrim SR-8D |
The YGG-9 Yusŏng Chu (유성추 / 流星鎚, meteor hammer) is a type of very-long-range air-to-air missile developed in Menghe. Dubbed the "AWACS killer" in foreign media, it can also shoot down tankers, transports, C4ISTAR aircraft, and supersonic bombers at ranges of 300-400 kilometers. This long range allows the launch platform to stay outside the range of any fighters near the target, including fighters armed with the Meteor AAM. Due to its large size and mass, however, the YGG-9 cannot be carried on as many pylons as the YGG-7 Hwasal and YGG-110 Chŏn Chang, and it has a low hit probability against maneuverable fighters and attack aircraft.
Description
The YGG-9 is unusually large for an air-to-air missile, with a diameter of 400mm and a length of 4.57 meters. When photos of a mockup were first leaked in 2015, foreign intelligence sources mistook it for a supersonic anti-ship missile. The missile is steered by four control surfaces around the tail and propelled by a solid-fuel motor.
For terminal guidance, the YGG-9 relies on an active radar seeker, believed to be a derivative of the type used on the YGG-7N and YGG-110G. This allows it to engage targets which are not emitting a radar signal, such as tankers and transports. Like other long-range missiles, it receives datalinked mid-course guidance information from a launch platform until the missile acquires a lock. It is also possible for the launch platform to provide the missile with midcourse guidance using target information datalinked from a separate platform, such as a friendly AWACS. This enables long-range engagements beyond the effective range of the launch platform's own radar, and allows the launch platform to keep its radar switched off to avoid revealing its location.
The actual maximum range of the YGG-9 is disputed, and may vary based on the launch profile. Official sources from the Menghean Ministry of Defense claim that the YGG-9 has a maximum range of 400 kilometers in an optimal lofted trajectory and 150 kilometers in a direct shot at low altitude. An independent evaluation by Sieuxerr's intelligence agency put the actual maximum range at closer to 300 kilometers,
Operational service
The YGG-9 Yusŏng Chu was introduced in 2017, and it has only ever been seen mounted on the Songrim SR-8D Gŭmdoksuri. This suggests that it is not compatible with the shorter-ranged radars on the SR-8G/N and all DS-9 variants. According to open-source dimensions on both systems, it is too large for the internal weapon bays of the Songrim SR-12, and while it could theoretically be carried on the SR-12's external under-wing pylons, this would compromise the aircraft's stealth.
Second Pan-Septentrion War
The Yusŏng Chu first saw service in the Second Pan-Septentrion War, when SR-8D fighters engaged an airborne early warning platform as part of Operation Chŏnman. A two-missile salvo downed the target, though at least one YGG-9 fired at Rafale-M fighter jets missed.
Hit probabilities
A brochure on the YGG-9 advertised the following hit probabilities against different targets. These numbers, if accurate, confirm that the YGG-9 is higly effective against subsonic force multiplier targets and can be used against supersonic bombers, but has very limited value against fighter aircraft, making it a dedicated weapon for the interceptor role.
| Hit probability | Target type |
|---|---|
| 0.8-0.9 | Large subsonic aircraft (AWACS, C4ISTAR, tankers, transports, SIGINT) |
| 0.6-0.7 | Large supersonic bombers (Tu-22M, ECB-1) |
| 0.3-0.5 | Tactical bombers (Or-24, Or-25) |
| 0.1-0.2 | Maneuverable 4th-gen fighter aircraft |
It is not known whether the YGG-9 can be used against cruise missiles and anti-ship missiles. Menghe is believed to be working on a derivative design capable of intercepting hypersonic cruise missiles at high altitudes, but the YGG-9G variant currently in service is believed to be ineffective against them.
YDH-9
A press release from 2021 claims that the Buksŏng Industries Group is working on an anti-ship variant of the YGG-9, which will bear the designation YDH-9. This missile will use terminal active radar guidance, possibly with the same seeker as the YGG-9, and will follow a diving trajectory toward its target. The warhead mass apparently remains unchanged at 60 kilograms, suggesting that the YDH-9 would be used to damage escorts in advance of a heavier missile attack on carriers or transport ships. This missile was not in service in 2022, and did not see service during the Second Pan-Septentrion War.