The HQ16A or LY-80 is a Chinese-made medium range surface-to-air defense missile system which was introduce in the Chinese armed forces in September 2011. The HQ-16 is produced by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp (CASC). Using advanced technologies, of intermittent illumination semi-active radar homing guidance, phased array radar, vertical cold launch and radio communication network, the LY-80 can be operated under the environment of strong electro-magnetic interference and during all-weather conditions.This is a land based version of the HQ-16 system used in ships (and fired from VLS (Vertical Launch System) containers. The HQ-16A is based on a joint development of the Russian Buk-M1 (SA-11 'Gadfly') and Buk-2M (SA-17 'Grizzly') Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) systems, for use from mobile ground vehicles and later from ships. The HQ-16A is able to engage aerial targets at high altitude; the mid-range HQ-16 is also able to intercept very low-flying targets at a distance of up to about 40 kilometers, filling the gap between the HQ-7 short-range SAM and the HQ-9 long-range SAM systems. The HQ-16A missile can hit targets of an altitude from 400 to 10,000 meters. According to the SIPRI (Stockholm International Peace Research Institute) arms transfers database, three units of the LY-80 were ordered by Pakistan in 2014 and delivered in 2015/2016. The Pakistan Army formally inducted the LY-80 (HQ-16) medium-range surface-to-air missile (SAM) system on March,12, 2017. In January 2018, Pakistani army has performed the first live firing with the LY-80 during the military exercise Al Bayza-2019.
