IndoDefence 2025: China promotes CM-401 anti-ship missile as coastal defense for foreign customers.

On June 11, 2025, at IndoDefence 2025, China’s state-owned defense giant China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC) showcased a miniature mock-up of its CM-401 supersonic anti-ship ballistic missile, painted in army camouflage, signaling a new push to promote the weapon to foreign clients. Though the full-scale missile was absent, the visual presence of the CM-401 model caught the eye of defense observers. This strategic display, subtle in form but bold in intent, suggests China’s aim to reframe the naval threat landscape, especially for nations looking to bolster coastal defense with rapid-response precision systems.
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The presence of the CM-401 in army-style livery at IndoDefence 2025 suggests a pivot toward potential land-based coastal deployment for partner nations wary of maritime threats in the South China Sea and Indian Ocean Region (Picture source: Army Recognition Group)

The CM-401, developed by CASIC, is a short-range, solid-fueled ballistic missile specifically designed for anti-ship missions. First unveiled during Airshow China 2018 in Zhuhai, the system was publicly presented with a TEL (Transporter Erector Launcher) capable of launching a single missile. According to specifications highlighted by Army Recognition at the time, the CM-401 has a claimed operational range of 290 to 300 kilometers and can reach hypersonic speeds between Mach 4 and Mach 6. It carries a high-explosive warhead weighing up to 290 kg and is designed to execute terminal phase maneuvers, such as a near-vertical dive, enabling it to penetrate sophisticated naval air defense systems and strike high-value targets like aircraft carriers, destroyers, or large amphibious ships. Launch versatility is another key feature, as the missile can be deployed both from land-based mobile launchers and from naval platforms using vertical launch systems.

As previously mentioned by Army Recognition, the CM-401 stands out due to its unique combination of high speed, maneuverability, and ballistic trajectory, which makes it far more difficult to intercept than traditional cruise missiles that follow flatter and more predictable flight paths. The system represents a clear contribution to China’s broader anti-access/area-denial (A2/AD) doctrine, especially in the context of maritime confrontations in the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait. Comparable in intent, though not in configuration, to Russia’s Iskander missile or U.S. long-range precision strike programs, the CM-401 focuses on rapid strike against mobile naval targets from regional launch points. Its tactical emphasis on saturation attack, quick response, and platform flexibility positions it as a disruptive capability in the evolving missile warfare landscape.

Operationally, the CM-401 offers several advantages. Its supersonic speed significantly reduces the response time for enemy ships to deploy countermeasures. Its maneuverability in the terminal phase makes it difficult for current shipborne missile defense systems, such as Aegis-equipped vessels or the Israeli Barak-8 system, to successfully intercept. Compared to legacy anti-ship systems like the YJ-83 or the U.S. Harpoon, the CM-401 represents a new echelon in speed and trajectory complexity. While the U.S. Navy has explored hypersonic glide vehicles for anti-ship use, the Chinese model provides a more tactical, short-range application ready for regional export.

Geopolitically, the presence of the CM-401 in army-style livery at IndoDefence 2025 suggests a pivot toward potential land-based coastal deployment for partner nations wary of maritime threats in the South China Sea and Indian Ocean Region. By rebranding this naval missile with army camouflage, China appears to be offering the CM-401 as a flexible A2/AD tool not only for maritime but also for territorial denial from land. This move could interest regional actors like Pakistan, Bangladesh, or even Myanmar, nations with limited blue-water navies but significant coastal defense needs. It also raises strategic questions for ASEAN nations and India, whose navies must now account for the possibility of shore-launched ballistic threats in their near waters.

By presenting the CM-401 in army colors at IndoDefence 2025, China has subtly but powerfully repositioned a naval precision strike asset into a broader strategic offer for coastal nations facing evolving maritime threats. As the balance of power in Indo-Pacific waters continues to shift, the introduction of land-based ballistic anti-ship options opens new dimensions in both deterrence and engagement. This symbolic appearance may mark the early stages of a wider proliferation of compact, fast-strike ballistic solutions, a development that could redefine future naval and littoral combat planning across Asia.