KWIC Dec.6 Andrei Pinkov: The Third Academy of the China General Corporation of Space Industry has exhibited the C701 TV-guided anti-warship missiles for the first time. With its total length of 2.5 meters, its total weight of 100 kilograms, its effective launch range of 15 kilometers, and its cruise speed of M0.8, this missile is mainly installed in the missile-carrying fast attack craft and the naval Z8 and Z9 helicopters to attack the small-sized vessels, especially the enemy fast attack craft. This C701 system of the naval version is in the form of square box and has a quadruple launcher. It seems that the C701 missiles have not been used in the Chinese navy in a large quantity yet.
In terms of its fighting task, the C701 missile can be used to deal with the massive missile-carrying fast attack craft of Taiwan. The Taiwanese navy is equipped with nearly fifty Hai Ou-class missile-carrying fast attack craft, each of which carries two Hsiung Feng A anti-warship missiles with a range of 40 kilometers.
According to the designers, the TV seeker used in the C701 can also be installed in the other models of missiles or in bombs to make them the TV-guided weapons. The designers claims that the similar TV-guided bombs are now under development.
Judged from the external design of the C701, the module design may have been adopted, which will provide conveniences for the future possible installation of the laser or infrared seeker in the same missile. In recent years, China has paid attention to the development of the precision guiding systems. No.613 Institute has specially developed the forward looking infrared/laser targeting pod to be installed in the JH7 and J8B fighter planes. It is evident that the development of the plane-carried weapons has become oriented to the precision guiding systems ( KWIC Andrei Pinkov).
