YJ-83 / C-802

A Chinese family of subsonic, turbojet-powered anti-ship cruise missiles fielded from ships, aircraft and coastal launchers, exported widely and reproduced in Iran.

Overview

The YJ-83, designated CSS-N-8 Saccade by NATO, is a sea-skimming anti-ship cruise missile used by the People's Liberation Army Navy and by Chinese naval and air force aircraft. Its export-relative C-802 replaced the shorter-ranged C-801's solid-propellant sustainer with a turbojet, creating a missile broadly comparable in role to Harpoon and Exocet. The precise relationship among the YJ-82, C-802 and YJ-83 remains disputed: GlobalSecurity treats the C-802 as the YJ-82 or YJ-2, whereas the C-802 reference history describes the export missile and YJ-82 as separate developments while placing the C-802 within the wider YJ-83 family in US usage.

The family combines inertial mid-course navigation with active-radar or imaging-infrared terminal homing. Published ranges extend from 120 km for the baseline C-802 to 180 km for later surface-launched versions, with longer ranges claimed for specialized Chinese and Iranian derivatives. Iran became the first C-802 export customer and subsequently established the indigenous Noor line, followed by the longer-ranged Qader or Ghader and Ghadir. That proliferation pathway carried C-802-family capabilities beyond state navies: Hezbollah used a missile from the family against the Israeli corvette INS Hanit in 2006, while Iranian-derived weapons and components have been associated with Houthi inventories in Yemen.

🔒 The full YJ-83 / C-802 file is for BattlePolicy Pro members. Below the line: development history, design and capabilities, variants, the combat record, advantages and limitations, comparable systems, outlook, the full specifications table, our sourcing, and the analyst assessment — procurement, suppliers and the BattlePolicy verdict. Unlock the full file with BattlePolicy Pro →