New surface to air missile ready for action: PLA

(Global Times)

09:35, September 28, 2011

Official military media for the first time acknowledged Monday that China's new land-based mid-range Surface to Air Missile (SAM) system has reached operational capability. Military observers say that deployment of this missile system will boost China's air defense capability.

The new SAM system, dubbed by foreign media as the Hongqi-16, or Red Flag-16, has been delivered to an air defense unit in the Shenyang Military Region.

In a recent drill, two HQ-16 missiles fired by the unit successfully hit their aerial targets, the official website of the People's Liberation Army Daily reported Monday.

As well as being 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, Lan Yun, editor of Modern Ships, a Beijing-based military magazine, told the 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 meters above the sea surface. 

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

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.

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Leave your comment6 comments

ASEAN at 2011-09-29220.255.1.*

We in ASEAN are at ease and happy with the rise of China. Most of us are sensible people. Of course there are a small group of people in ASEAN who distort, amplify and cause fear in ASEAN and the world about the rise of China. These are found mainly in Vietnam and Philippines.

ASEAN at 2011-09-28220.255.1.*

Congratulation to PLA !China with stronger military power can maintain peace in Asia.

Huang Xu-sheng at 2011-09-2824.193.91.*

If you have it, use it. Chop off one chicken"s head to warn the watching monkeys. Do Beijing have the gumption to that?

PD User at 2011-09-28203.97.220.*

Like US former secretary of state Dr Kissinger has just said China is not a rising power. China has been world strongest power in 18 century out of the 20! China is claiming its place so China is not rising and try to bully or conquer. Thus China is doing what China always does - a formidable military power in the world and no one wants a fight.

Voldemort at 2011-09-28217.212.230.*

Well Wishes to PLA for its new SAM but it seems its made in hurry and looses some technologies which might distrupt its flight of attack. PLA deserves advanced weapons not for conquering world but against Illuminati who will mislead two asian giants ( India and People"s Republic of China ) to major war, while celebrating its success for reducing both countries huge population. And please don"t remove this post.

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