Akasa
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Clear photo of HQ-19 anti-missile intercept missile.
Graphic showing the locations of the major institutes regarded in foreign media’s speculation as centers of China’s test of central stage anti-missile technology.
Graphic showing foreign media speculation of the future deployment of long-range early warning radars in Xinjiang, Guizhou and Shandong in China’s anti-missile interception system.
In its recent post titled “HQ-19 Anti-missile Intercept Missile”, US global security.org website reveals its speculation based on published information on details of China’s HQ-19 anti-missile intercept missile. It believes that HQ-19 is similar in functions to US THAAD anti-missile intercept missile and that HQ-19 played a major role in China’s two ground-based midcourse anti-missile tests in 2010 and 2013.
However, the speculation is proved wrong by a recent blurred photo of the HQ-19 missile test appeared at a Chinese website. The missile is more similar in functions to the lengthened-range THAAD or Standard Missile 3 that the US is developing. It is capable of intercepting a target inside or outside the atmosphere.
Exposure of HQ-19 attracts people’s interest in China’s large, complicated and ambitious plan to develop its anti-missile arsenal.
Foreign media believes that China’s development of the midcourse anti-missile technology aims mainly for national security instead of nuclear strategic balance. They believe that Chinese anti-ballistic missile system consists of 6 kinds of missiles: HQ-9B, HQ-19, HQ-26 (similar to ground-based Standard Missile 3), HQ-29 (similar to PAC-3), DN-1 and DN2 (similar to US GMD). There are three layers of defense. The first is midcourse interception mainly by DN series of missiles to intercept missiles outside the atmosphere. It is the key layer of China’s missile defense system. The second is a layer to intercept missile inside, outside or at the edge of the atmosphere. It mainly relied on HQ-19 and HQ-26 for missile interception. The third layer is the terminal stage interception layer that mainly uses HQ-9B and HQ-29 for interception at the terminal stage.
China succeeded in testing midcourse anti-missile intercept technology in its DN-1 missile on January 11, 2010. Later, it successfully tested the technology again on January 27, 2013. Analysts believe that China has obtained initial mastery of the technology.
DN-1 and later DN-2 are China’s most advanced midcourse intercept missiles similar to US GMD system. However, as they lack the support of effective early warning radar, they remain at testing stage.
Foreign media believes that China has obtained the technology in order to intercept the ICBMs from large nuclear power. That is not correct. It is impossible for China to intercept such a large number of first-strike ICBMs a large nuclear power has. China’s strategic nuclear deterrence relies on its second-strike strength. The anti-missile intercept missiles can only be used to intercept a few ICBMs fired at China by mistake.
The midcourse intercept technology is mainly used to intercept the small number of ballistic missiles from a small nuclear power such as India.
Source: Huangqiu
The photo is of an US THAAD.
