Did China Trigger A "DeepSeek Moment" In Hypersonic Missiles
China has triggered a "DeepSeek moment" in hypersonic weapons, unveiling cement-coated Mach-7 missiles that can be mass-produced for roughly $100,000 per unit. The development is setting off alarm bells within the U.S. military, which has yet to field a hypersonic weapon and cannot come anywhere close to matching such production costs.
The South China Morning Post reports that Chinese private aerospace firm Lingkong Tianxing introduced the YKJ-1000, a Mach-7 hypersonic glide weapon built almost entirely from civilian-grade materials to keep costs ultra-low.
Slides circulating on X claim the YKJ-1000 costs just $100,000 to produce. The economics are absolutely staggering because a U.S. SM-6 interceptor costs about $4 million per unit, a THAAD interceptor can run upwards of $15 million, and a Patriot PAC-3 can cost as much as $4.2 million.
"Developed by a private company rather than state-owned firms, demonstrating the success of China's Military–Civil Fusion strategy," one slide reads.
The economics of war shift dramatically when missiles become cheap. Low-cost hypersonic systems will reduce Beijing's marginal cost of engagement. Just imagine: a swarm of YKJ-1000s would cost the U.S. or regional Asian allies hundreds of millions to shoot down in the event of a conflict.
The missile showcases how China leverages its civilian manufacturing base of low-cost sensors, BeiDou chips, off-the-shelf camera modules, die-cast structures, and other locally produced technologies.
👀 SPACE-TRANSPORTATION is now in defense industry.
— China 'N Asia Spaceflight 🚀𝕏 🛰️ (@CNSpaceflight) November 25, 2025
🚀 YKJ-1000 hypersonic missile released. https://t.co/Vpmk4MdWHC pic.twitter.com/ypLBjvm24F
"If this missile were introduced on the international defence market, it would be formidably competitive," military commentator Wei Dongxu told state broadcaster CCTV earlier this week.
Dongxu added: "Many nations have yet to develop their own hypersonic missiles, and this one—with its long range, high destructive power, and strong penetration capability—would likely become a hot commodity due to its dirt-cheap price."
If the report is accurate, then the "DeepSeek moment" for hypersonic missiles has officially arrived.