China's new, improved surface-to-air missile system

[Major Shaitan Singh]

China has deployed a new land-based mid-range surface-to-air missile (SAM) system capable of intercepting both high and very low-flying targets, boosting its air defence capability.

The new SAM system called Hongqi-16, or Red Flag-16, was delivered to an air defence unit in the Shenyang Military Region, official media reported.

In a recent drill, two HQ-16 missiles fired by the unit successfully hit their aerial targets, according to People's Liberation Army Daily.

Besides engaging aerial targets at high altitude, the mid-range HQ-16 is able to intercept very low-flying targets at a distance of up to 40 km, filling the gap between the HQ-7 short-range SAM and the HQ-9 long-range SAM systems, Lan Yun, editor of Modern Ships, a Beijing-based military magazine, told the state-run Global Times.


According to Modern Navy, the official magazine of the PLA Navy, the naval variant of the missile system, which has been fitted on Type 054A frigates, can intercept sea-skimming missiles that fly less than 10 metres above the sea surface.

In modern air attacks, a large numbers of land-attack cruise missiles, such as the US Tomahawk missiles, are being used, Lan said. "They fly about 50 meters above the ground to avoid early radar warning and interception attempts," Lan said.

But the current mid-range SAM missile system HQ-12 can only engage targets that fly 300 meters above ground, according to the promotion brochure of its export version, called the KS-1A system.

"Besides the low-altitude engagement capability, the HQ-16 is also more accurate than the HQ-12.The deployment of the land-based HQ-16 can greatly enhance the mainland's capability to counter modern air attacks," Lan said.

 

[Hafizzz]

This unit is now equipped with:

(1) HY-6 SAM, range: 6km
(2) HQ-7 SAM, range: 13km
(3) HQ-7B SAM,range: 20km
(4) HQ-16A SAM range: 45km

P.S. The factory in Shanghai is churning out train loads of this type of missile for truck-mount in.....


An air-defence brigade of the Shenyang Military Region firing off HQ-16As:

 

[desimorty]

It has decent range coverage. But the Soviet/Russian S-300 had a variety of missiles. I wondar if the CHinese have also developed a short range missile to be launched from the same platform? what is the reaction time? Quick reaction/ low altitude SAMs are the best defence against fighter aircraft with PGMs.

 

[no_name]

If I'm correct the HQ-9 is based on the S-300 and is what the type 052c destroyers carry(HHQ-9). The type 054A frigates carries the HHQ-16 which is a shorter ranged missile based on the HQ-16.

 

[desimorty]

If I'm correct the HQ-9 is based on the S-300 and is what the type 052c destroyers carry(HHQ-9). The type 054A frigates carries the HHQ-16 which is a shorter ranged missile based on the HQ-16.

S-300 is a system of radars control and missiles, and not just one type of missile. My question is does this article hint at a shorter range SAM for short range quick reaction intercepts?
I would also like to know if the PLAAF has this in service?

 

[no_name]

It is for medium range.

China has modern short range missiles and modern long range missiles (S-300). This development is to fill in the medium range and up to low altitude gap, which at the present is shouldered by aging missiles that can't engage low flying targets.

They are still using improved variants of the S-A-2 guideline.

 

[ao333]

S-300 is a system of radars control and missiles, and not just one type of missile. My question is does this article hint at a shorter range SAM for short range quick reaction intercepts?
I would also like to know if the PLAAF has this in service?

S-300 and PAC-3 manufacturers do not produce short-range SAMs, only arms importers do. The reason is that modern Air-to-Surface missiles can out-range "short-range" defenses, as seen in Libya where NATO planes decapacitated Libyan short-range air defense systems without ever entering its range.

Importers produce short-range systems because their advasaries likely operate 3rd or early 4th generation warplanes incapable of fielding advanced, long-distance armaments. More convincingly, they do not have the technology to produce S-xxx or PAC.

In any case, the closest thing you will find is the HQ-16, a Buk rip-off, a slimmed down version of the S-300 for naval air defence.

Legend:

S-xxx/PAC manufactuers: US, Russia, China
Importers: India, Israel

 

[desimorty]

It is for medium range.

China has modern short range missiles and modern long range missiles (S-300). This development is to fill in the medium range and up to low altitude gap, which at the present is shouldered by aging missiles that can't engage low flying targets.

They are still using improved variants of the S-A-2 guideline.

Are we on the same page? As far as I know the Chinese have other short range SAMs more than 25 km and less than 60.
If they copied the S-300 missile,/ launcher than we can assume that large missile in the picture probabily has a range near 100 kms or so. Is there a picture of a smaller SAM launched from the same tubes?

S-300 and PAC-3 manufacturers do not produce short-range SAMs, only arms importers do. The reason is that modern Air-to-Surface missiles can out-range "short-range" defenses, as seen in Libya where NATO planes decapacitated Libyan short-range air defense systems without ever entering its range.

Importers produce short-range systems because their advasaries likely operate 3rd or early 4th generation warplanes incapable of fielding advanced, long-distance armaments. More convincingly, they do not have the technology to produce S-xxx or PAC.

In any case, the closest thing you will find is the HQ-16, a Buk rip-off, a slimmed down version of the S-300 for naval air defence.

Legend:

S-xxx/PAC manufactuers: US, Russia, China
Importers: India, Israel

clever. your trolling. like a moron.
Heres something for you to know. Early generation SAMs covered a large area. Shorter range SAMS were introduced for quickreaction. RAM, Cortale, Mithral, Gecko just some of the examples of short range SAMs some of which can shoot down cruise missiles or dumb bombs. These are usually line of systems.
S-300 system has a variety of missiles from long range to short range depending on the job. Reason for the short range SAMs is because attack aircraft figured out how to fly low to avoid detection. Which is why India bought a very limted number of S-300 systems.
Stay smart know it all.

 

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

Transfer of technology is a must for this Item , for Pakistan

 

[desimorty]

PS, Israel and India are both working on a long range SAM system, S-300 was not widely excepted by the AIrforce or Army. Only the strategic forces bought a couple of systems.
2005 Indian pilots trained with Israeli pilots on SEAD tactics specifally against the S-300 system.
Also libya is a example both of success of SEAD tactics and failure of Libyas air defence. Even if they had a 300 km missile doesnt mean an aircraft can not close the gap by flying low.

 

[desimorty]

Transfer of technology is a must for this Item , for Pakistan

Sorry buddy. I think Pakistan would be better of purchasing only a limited number of this system to detter aircraft. Those that will fly under the radar coverage will get near 60 km before they fire off a missile. Best to invest in something that can intercept the aircraft AND the missile! at short notices. Even the Russians dont soley rely on this S-300 200 km missile system. They have their own short range line of sight missile systems.
Just saying.

 

[no_name]

Are we on the same page? As far as I know the Chinese have other short range SAMs more than 25 km and less than 60.
If they copied the S-300 missile,/ launcher than we can assume that large missile in the picture probabily has a range near 100 kms or so. Is there a picture of a smaller SAM launched from the same tubes?

The aim of this development is to have a medium range missile that can engage low flying objects, namely under 50 meters for hilly terrain and under 10 meters for naval use. This is a flexibility that other existing mid range missiles don't have.

Those pics of missiles being fired are of HQ-16, which is not base on the S-300. (the HQ-9 is) HQ-16 is considered medium range while HQ-9 is long range.

 

[desimorty]

The aim of this development is to have a medium range missile that can engage low flying objects, namely under 50 meters for hilly terrain and under 10 meters for naval use. This is a flexibility that other existing mid range missiles don't have.

Those pics of missiles being fired are of HQ-16, which is not base on the S-300. (the HQ-9 is)

aww damn. I though they tested the HQ-9. confusing naming system. Medium Range SAM.
thanks for the info. this would mean that they worked on the radars systems to clear the ground clutter. hmmmm very interesting.

 

[Major Shaitan Singh]

The S-300 system was first deployed by the Soviet Union in 1979 and is regarded as one of the most potent anti-aircraft missile systems currently fielded, at least according to: International Assessment and Strategy Center > Research > Almaz S-300 – China's “Offensive” Air Defense .

The S-300 is a series of Russian long range surface-to-air missile systems produced by NPO Almaz, all based on the initial S-300P version. The S-300 system was developed to defend against aircraft and cruise missiles for the Soviet Air Defence Forces. Subsequent variations were developed to intercept ballistic missiles.
Numerous versions have since emerged with different missiles, improved radars, better resistance to countermeasures, longer range and better capability against short-range ballistic missiles or targets flying at very low altitude. There are currently three main variations: S-300V, S-300P and S-300F. An evolved version of the S-300 system is the S-400 (NATO reporting name SA-21), entering service in 2004.

S-300 uses a range of missiles developed by MKB "Fakel" design bureau (a separate government corporation, aka "OKB-2").

5V55K - 47 km
5V55KD - 75km
5V55R - 90 km
5V55RM - 90km
5V55U - 150km
48N6E - 150km
48N6E2 - 195 km
9M82 - 40km
9M83 - 100km
9M83ME - 200km
9M96E1 - 40km
9m96E2 - 120km
40N6 - 400km

IMHO that makes it rather difficult to agree to a blanket statement that S-300 is obsolete > which system with which missile(s)?


HQ-9/FD-2000/FT-2000 Technical Data

Operational Range (Aircraft Target)

7 - 125 km

Operational Altitude (Aircraft Target) 25 m - 27 km
Operational Range (Cruise Missile Target) 7 - 15 km
Operational Altitude (Cruise Missile Target) >25 m
Operational Range (Ballistic Missile Target) 7 - 25 km
Operational Altitude (Ballistic Missile Target) 2 - 15 km
Operational Range (Supersonic Missile Target) 7 - 50 km
Operational Altitude (Supersonic Missile Target) 1 - 18 km



FT-2000 Anti-Radiation SAM Characteristics (CNPMIEC)

Operational Range
12 - 100 km
Operational Altitude
3 - 20 km
Missile Weight
1,300 kg
Missile Length
6.8 m
Missile Diameter
0.446 m
Seeker Band Coverage
2 to 18 GHz

 

[no_name]

I think what the article implies is that they have improved the HQ-16 to handle low altitude interception of targets such as low flying cruise missiles. It's not a completely new missile because even navalised HHQ-16 has been in service for some time.

What this means is that now they have for a mid range missile capabilities that previously only short range missiles have.
I think HQ-9 might be too big/fast to modify for low altitude interception.