The missile can fly in a given direction for a specified point and then turn on its built-in guidance radar for the final approach to the target. Variations of this missile can be fired from land, sea, or air. It was extensively used during the Iran-Iraq War by both sides against merchant shipping. Iraq fired a pair of C801s at the battleship Missouri during the Gulf War for no hits. Counterfire is shooting down the missile.
Distraction draws the missile into chasing after decoys away from the target.
Of the powers surveyed only the Japanese ships have the ability to consistently and successfully use countermeasures. As can be seen from Figures 3-6, China has a lead in all but one of the categories of naval strength examined. Only in major surface combatants is there a Japanese advantage in both quality and quantity, and this is partly offset by the distance that the Japanese have to go to get to the important sealanes compared to the Chinese.