force-multiplier

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Institutional and Organizational Actors in China’s
Cruise Missile Programs
China began introducing surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) and antiship cruise missiles
(ASCMs) into its inventory in the late 1950s. 1 Following the February 1950 Treaty of
Friendship, Alliance, and Mutual Assistance and the first Five-Year Plan for industrial and
agricultural development and production (1953–1958), and soon after the signing of the
1958 bilateral accord on defense cooperation, the Soviet Union transferred Type 542 shoreto-ship
and Type 544 (P-15/Styx SS-N-2) antiship missiles and SA-2 SAMs to China. 2 Despite
the departure of Soviet advisors in September 1960 in the wake of the Beijing-Moscow
fallout, the Chinese persevered and conducted their first successful missile test in
November 1960. 3
The Soviets provided China with the first batch of cruise missile models and technical
data in 1959 in accordance with the October 1957 Sino-Soviet New Defense Technical
Accord and the February 1958 bilateral agreement, which specified that the Soviet side
would assist with China’s missile programs, including supplying the Type 542 KS-1 and
Type 544 P-15/Styx SS-N-2 ASCMs. 4 The Fifth Academy under the Ministry of Defense
was assigned the lead role in coordinating national efforts in ASCM research, design,
and licensed production. Established on October 8, 1956, and with the late Qian Xuesen
(Tsien Hsue-shen) as its first director, the Fifth Academy was instrumental in China’s
cruise and ballistic missile developments. 5
Office No. 40 and an assembly line for ASCMs were set up in the Nanchang Aircraft
Manufacturing Company in 1960 to initiate production. Even before the cruise missiles
were manufactured, the Central Military Commission instructed the PLA Navy (PLAN)
Headquarters to select an ASCM test site. In March 1958, the test site was chosen at Liaoxi
in Liaoning Province. Many of China’s ASCM tests, such as those for Shang You-1 and
the Hai Ying-series, were undertaken at the Western Liaoning site. 6 Production began
in October 1963. In August 1964, China’s first ASCM, a license-produced version of the
Soviet P-15 Termit (NATO designation: SS-N-2A “Styx”), passed factory tests. A year later,
the first missile test was successful. Subsequent tests led to further improvements, and in
August 1967 the missile, designated Shang You-1 (SY-1), was approved for production
and entered service in the late 1960s. An indigenously improved version, Hai Ying 1
(HY-1 or “Sea Eagle”), was successfully tested in December 1968 and entered service in
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