Yun Feng
{{for|people surnamed Feng|Feng Yun (disambiguation)}}
{{infobox weapon
| name = Yun Feng
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| type = Land-attack cruise missile
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| service = Deployed
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| origin = Taiwan
| designer = National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology
| number = >50 (in production)
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| payload_capacity =225 kg
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| vehicle_range = {{convert|1200-2000|km|mi}}
| speed = (Mach 6) {{cvt|2060|m/s|mph}}
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| propellant = Liquid fuel ramjet engine with solid rocket booster
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| launch_platform = Transporter erector launcher
| transport = 10x10 truck
}}
The Yun Feng ({{lang-zh|t=雲峰|l=Cloud Peak}}), officially designated Ching Tien (雲峰), is a Taiwanese hypersonic land-attack cruise missile.{{Cite news|url=http://www.news.com.au/world/breaking-news/taiwan-to-aim-missiles-at-china/news-story/0258f825dc89ab91d97fb4e393425ad5|title=Taiwan to aim missiles at China|work=NewsComAu|access-date=2017-03-12|language=en}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.straitstimes.com/asia/taiwan-to-aim-50-medium-range-missiles-at-china-report|title=Taiwan to aim 50 medium-range missiles at China: Report|last=migration|date=2013-03-18|work=The Straits Times|access-date=2017-03-16|language=en}}
Design and development
The missile was developed by the Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology and has a range of about {{convert|1200-2000|km|mi}} kilometers. It has a ramjet engine with a solid rocket booster capable of a hypersonic speed of Mach 6 or {{cvt|2060|m/s|mph}}. It can carry a semi-armor piercing high explosive and fragmentation warhead. The missile is one of the few assets within Taiwan's arsenal which can reach targets in north and central People's Republic of China.{{Cite news|url=https://missilethreat.csis.org/missile/yun-feng/#enref-2519-1|title=Yun Feng {{!}} Missile Threat|work=Missile Threat|access-date=2018-01-16|language=en-US}} Development may have been started as far back as the Lee Teng-hui administration but official reports of its existence did not surface until 2012. Test flights of the Yun Feng were concealed within the HF-3 supersonic anti-ship missile test flight program.
In 2016, Ministry of National Defense (MND) denied reports that the missile program was terminated.{{Cite web|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2016/09/21/2003655558|title=Ministry talking to Google about island 'secret' leaks - Taipei Times|website=www.taipeitimes.com|date=21 September 2016|access-date=2017-03-16}}{{Cite news|url=https://international.thenewslens.com/article/49674|title=To Terminate or Not? Taiwan's 'Cloud Peak' Medium-Range Missile Program - The News Lens International Edition|last=Cole|first=J. Michael|date=2016-09-21|work=The News Lens International Edition|access-date=2017-03-16|language=en-US}} This speculation was based on a belief that the project would be cancelled as a goodwill gesture towards China. The missile was publicly acknowledged for the first time by defense minister Chiu Kuo-cheng during a Legislative Yuan joint committee hearing in October 2021.{{cite news |last1=Yu |first1=Kai-Hsiang |last2=Wang |first2=Ken |title=Taiwan military confirms 'Yun Feng' missile's existence |url=https://focustaiwan.tw/politics/202110060012 |access-date=6 October 2021 |agency=Central News Agency |date=6 October 2021}}
The project received and was known by the codename Yun Feng. The missile is officially designated the Ching Tien (擎天).{{cite web |last1=Tien-pin |first1=Lo |last2=Hetherington |first2=William |title=New missiles can travel 2,000km: source |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2023/11/13/2003809084 |website=taipeitimes.com |date=13 November 2023 |publisher=Taipei Times |access-date=16 November 2023}}
Variants
In 2018, it was announced that NTD 12.4 billion (~ USD 390 million) had been allocated by the Ministry of Defense under the "Qilin Project” to both extend the range of the missile as well as to adapt it for satellite launch.{{cite web |last1=Everington |first1=Keoni |title=Taiwan's upgraded 'Cloud Peak' missiles could reach Beijing |url=https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/3349525 |website=www.taiwannews.com.tw |date=25 January 2018 |publisher=Taiwan News |access-date=19 July 2019}}
=Enhanced Yun Feng=
In August 2019, mass production of the enhanced Yun Feng cruise missile commenced with an initial order for 20 missiles and 10 mobile launch vehicles. The enhanced variant has been described as a high altitude ramjet powered cruise missile.{{cite web |last1=DeAeth |first1=Duncan |title=Taiwan begins production of Cloud Peak missiles and mobile launch platforms |url=https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/3761242 |website=www.taiwannews.com.tw |date=9 August 2019 |publisher=Taiwan News |access-date=10 August 2019}}
=Satellite launch vehicle=
The missile is being upgraded to function as a satellite launch vehicle by National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology. This vehicle will be capable of delivering satellites between 50 and 200 kilograms at a low Earth orbit of around 500 kilometers.{{Cite web|url=http://www.defenseworld.net/news/21837/Taiwan_To_Upgrade____Cloud_Peak____Medium_range_Missiles_For_Micro_Satellites_Launch|title=Taiwan to Upgrade 'Cloud Peak' Medium-range Missiles for Micro-Satellites Launch|access-date=2018-02-09|archive-date=2018-01-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180125193724/http://www.defenseworld.net/news/21837/Taiwan_To_Upgrade____Cloud_Peak____Medium_range_Missiles_For_Micro_Satellites_Launch|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.ettoday.net/news/20180626/1198086.htm|title = 「麒麟專案」今年完工3套火箭 雲峰射程提升至2千公里 | ETtoday軍武新聞 | ETtoday新聞雲| date=26 June 2018 }} It is suspected that the upgrade program will extend the range of the missile to {{convert|2000|km|mi}}, which puts Beijing within its striking range.
See also
References
{{reflist}}
{{Military of the Republic of China}}
{{National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) aircraft}}
Category:Ramjet-powered missiles
Category:Cruise missiles of the Republic of China
Category:Space program of Taiwan