Anti-ship missiles

Also known as

anti-ship missile
antiship missile

Anti-ship missiles are guided weapons designed to strike surface ships. Ship-launched examples include North Korea's Choe Hyon destroyer test firings in 2026, while the broader family also spans submarine-, air-, and shore-launched variants.

Anti-ship missiles, Ship-launched anti-ship missile, Munitions

Image source: Harpoon missile launch aboard USS Shiloh

Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin: Multiple countries
Built by: Multiple manufacturers
Type: Ship-launched anti-ship missile
Service note: Cold War to present
Produced: 1950s-present

anti-ship missile guided missile naval

Specifications

Launch platforms: Surface ships, submarines, aircraft, and shore batteries depending on the missile family.
Guidance: Radar, infrared, inertial, and mixed seeker guidance appear across major families.
Target set: Warships and other surface combatants.
Attack profile: Sea-skimming or otherwise low-altitude terminal approaches are common.

Launch Platforms

The Choe Hyon test launch gives this class a documented ship-launch example.

Launcher

Launcher type

Launch evidence

Choe Hyon destroyer, Guided-missile destroyer, Naval Systems

Choe Hyon destroyer

Guided-missile destroyer

USNI reported that the Choe Hyon test-launched anti-ship missiles during its April 2026 weapons trials.

Sources: USNI News: North Korea Test Launches Anti-ship, Cruise Missiles from First-in-class Destroyer

Service And Conflict Use

Service History

In service: Fielded worldwide since the Cold War in ship-, submarine-, air-, and shore-launched variants.

Media

Anti-ship missiles Images

Anti-ship missiles, Ship-launched anti-ship missile, Munitions - view 1 — Source: Exocet launch image

Anti-ship missiles, Ship-launched anti-ship missile, Munitions - view 2 — Source: Neptune cruise missile image

Related Weapon Systems

Exocet MM38 anti-ship cruise missile, Ship-launched anti-ship cruise missile, Munitions

MunitionsExocet MM38 anti-ship cruise missileShip-launched anti-ship cruise missileThe Exocet MM38 is the original French ship-launched Exocet anti-ship cruise missile, developed by Nord Aviation and later associated with Aérospatiale. MBDA describes it as the first Exocet and the first anti-ship missile to combine fire-and-forget guidance with sea-skimming flight.

Project 1234 Ovod / Nanuchka-class missile corvette, Guided missile corvette family, Naval Systems

Naval SystemsProject 1234 Ovod / Nanuchka-class missile corvetteGuided missile corvette familyProject 1234 Ovod / Nanuchka-class missile corvette is a Soviet-designed guided-missile corvette family built by Almaz and Vympel shipyards for Soviet and export customers. The class centered on P-120 Malakhit anti-ship missiles in Soviet service, used export P-15 Termit missiles, and later Nanuchka III refits added Kh-35 or Uran anti-ship missiles and stronger point defense.

Project 1241 Molniya / Tarantul-class missile corvette, Missile corvette class, Naval Systems

Naval SystemsProject 1241 Molniya / Tarantul-class missile corvetteMissile corvette classThe Project 1241 Molniya, known to NATO as the Tarantul-class, is a Soviet-designed missile corvette family built by Almaz-associated and other Soviet and Russian shipyards for coastal anti-ship warfare, patrol, and export service. The family spans early Styx-armed boats, Tarantul-III Moskit upgrades, and later Molniya derivatives such as Project 1241.8 with Uran-E missiles.

AM39 Exocet, Air-launched anti-ship missile, Munitions

MunitionsAM39 ExocetAir-launched anti-ship missileThe MBDA AM39 Exocet is a French air-launched anti-ship missile carried by strike aircraft, maritime patrol aircraft, and helicopters. MBDA describes the current Block 2 Mod 2 version as fully digitised and fire-and-forget, and says the system is in service with the French Navy and 11 foreign forces.

ASM-3A, Japanese air-to-ship missile, Munitions

MunitionsASM-3AJapanese air-to-ship missileASM-3A is Japan's extended-range, supersonic air-to-ship missile for the Japan Air Self-Defense Force. Japanese defense budget material identifies it as an F-2-armed missile, and JASDF overview material lists it alongside the F-2 as an air-to-ship missile.

C-801 anti-ship missile, Anti-ship cruise missile, Munitions

MunitionsC-801 anti-ship missileAnti-ship cruise missileThe C-801 is the export designation of China's YJ-8 family, a solid-propellant, sea-skimming anti-ship missile built by CASIC's Third Academy. Open references list it as entering service in 1987, assign it a 42 km range and 165 kg warhead, and connect the family to later air- and submarine-launched variants as well as Yemen's 1995 procurement and 2016 Houthi attacks.

Sources

USNI News: North Korea Test Launches Anti-ship, Cruise Missiles from First-in-class DestroyerPublisher: USNI News | Note: Supports the Choe Hyon destroyer test-launching anti-ship missiles during April 2026 weapons trials and the ship-launch relationship on this page. | Accessed: 2026-06-27 Harpoon | Missile Threat - CSISPublisher: CSIS Missile Threat | Note: Supports anti-ship missile background, ship/sub/air launch options, and representative U.S. family context. | Accessed: 2026-06-27 Exocet - Missile Threat - CSISPublisher: CSIS Missile Threat | Note: Supports anti-ship missile background, multiple launch modes, and launch-platform variety for a representative French family. | Accessed: 2026-06-27 3M-54 Kalibr/Club (SS-N-27) | Missile Threat - CSISPublisher: CSIS Missile Threat | Note: Supports ship- and submarine-launched anti-ship missile background for a representative Russian family. | Accessed: 2026-06-27 BrahMos | Missile Threat - CSISPublisher: CSIS Missile Threat | Note: Supports ship-launched anti-ship missile background and India/Russia manufacturer context for a representative joint program. | Accessed: 2026-06-27 Harpoon missile launch aboard USS ShilohPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Public-domain U.S. Navy image page for a representative anti-ship missile launch. | Accessed: 2026-06-27 Exocet launch imagePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Public-domain U.S. Navy image page for a representative anti-ship missile launch. | Accessed: 2026-06-27 Neptune cruise missile imagePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: CC BY 4.0 image page for a representative anti-ship missile example. | Accessed: 2026-06-27