Does China’s YJ-20 hypersonic sea-based missile give Beijing an edge over US carriers? The YJ-20 is China’s first sea-based hypersonic anti-ship missile to have entered mass production, giving the People’s Liberation Army a decisive strike advantage over all rival surface combatants worldwide. The YJ-20, with its remarkable range, hypersonic speed and near-invulnerability to interception, has been tailor-made for the Chinese navy’s Type 055 destroyer’s 112-cell vertical launch system (VLS).