What is the current air defense of the People’s Republic of China like?
China, June 9, 2025 – Over the past two decades, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has established itself as a major player in the development and deployment of modern air defense (ADF) systems. Rapid technological progress, massive investments in the defense industry, and Beijing’s geopolitical ambitions have led to the creation of a complex and multi-layered ADF system, which is now considered one of the most sophisticated outside NATO and Russia.
While in the second half of the 20th century, Chinese air defense relied largely on Soviet technologies and their locally adapted copies, today’s Chinese ADF systems are largely domestic designs that reflect not only the desire for technological self-sufficiency, but also the ambition to become an exporter of competitive weapons systems. China’s approach to air defense is comprehensive and highly integrated – it includes short-, medium-, and long-range systems, radar and sensor technologies, air defense assets for the protection of forces in the field and static targets, and last but not least, anti-missile and anti-satellite capabilities. The strategic priority of air defense within the framework of Chinese military doctrine is mainly related to defense against advanced air forces (e.g. USA, Japan) and potential strikes on key targets in mainland China, including the defense of the capital Beijing and sensitive areas near the Taiwan Strait.
Short-range systems
Short-range air defense systems form the basic line of defense against threats at low altitudes, especially against unmanned aerial vehicles, guided missiles, helicopters and aircraft operating near the target. The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has a wide variety of assets in this category, which provide point protection of critical objects and mobile escort of mechanized units. One of the longest-serving systems is the HQ-6, specifically its modernized versions HQ-6A and HQ-6D. These mobile systems use missiles derived from the PL-11 aircraft, which themselves are based on the American AIM-7 Sparrow missile. The HQ-6 is designed to complement medium- and long-range systems, especially the HQ-9, and serves as a defense against targets that penetrate the defense zone. The range of the missiles is between 10 and 20 kilometers depending on the variant, the guidance is semi-active radar, and the entire system is usually equipped with a rotating launcher and its own radar. Although the HQ-6 is already technologically obsolete, it still forms an important component of the multilayer defense of some stationary positions.
A more modern representative in this category is the LD-2000, the Chinese land-based version of the Type 730 naval close-in defense system (CIWS). This self-propelled system is equipped with a seven-barreled 30mm Gatling-type rotary cannon and supplemented with six TY-90 infrared-guided missiles. The LD-2000 is capable of autonomous operation thanks to an integrated radar and electro-optical targeting system. The effective range is approximately 2–3 kilometers for the cannon armament and up to 6 kilometers for the missile component. Its main task is to destroy unmanned aerial vehicles, guided missiles and other fast-moving targets at short distances, especially when protecting strategic objects or deployed in the front line. Another system that is gaining increasing attention is the FB-10. It is a modern mobile very short-range air defense system (VSHORAD), which is installed on a lightly armored vehicle with a 6×6 configuration. Its armament consists of eight vertically launched infrared-guided missiles, while the system has an advanced AESA radar and optoelectronic sensors for autonomous target detection and tracking. The effective range is approximately 10 kilometers. The FB-10 is intended for both domestic use and export, and is used primarily as a protection of troops in the field or defense of important tactical objects against unmanned aerial vehicles and air threats with low radar reflectivity.
At the lowest level of air defense, man-portable anti-aircraft missile systems (MANPADS) play an important role, dominated by the QW-1 and QW-2 series. These weapons, developed based on the Russian Igla systems, are intended for use by infantry units and provide the ability to respond immediately to air threats at a distance of 5 to 6 kilometers. Some variants of these missiles are also integrated into light armored vehicles and serve as part of a wider mobile air defense system (e.g., the FN-6). Short-range systems are an essential part of China’s multi-layered approach to air defense. They provide protection against asymmetric and technically undemanding threats that could otherwise easily penetrate below the effectiveness of heavier and more expensive medium- and long-range means.
Medium-Range Systems
Medium-range air defense systems are a key element in China’s multi-layered air defense structure. They are designed to destroy a wide range of air targets – from fighter jets and bombers to cruise missiles – at distances of approximately 20 to 70 kilometers from the protected area. China has developed several domestic systems in this category, the most significant of which are the HQ-16 and HQ-22. These assets provide operational defense capabilities for both important static objects and mobile units on the move and in combat formations. The most widespread system in this category is the HQ-16, which was developed as a result of cooperation with Russia and is based on the Russian Buk-M1 system. The first version of the HQ-16 was intended primarily for naval use, but a land-based version, the HQ-16A, was subsequently developed, which was further developed into the HQ-16B and HQ-16C variants. These upgraded versions achieve improved parameters in terms of accuracy, range (up to 70 km) and the ability to destroy multiple targets simultaneously. The system uses a vertical launch system (VLS) and is equipped with a three-dimensional phased array radar for missile guidance. The HQ-16 is deployed both in ground units and as standard equipment on several classes of modern Chinese destroyers.
A significant addition to the medium-range air defense arsenal is the HQ-22. This system is considered the direct successor to the HQ-2 and represents a significant technological leap. It was first introduced to the public in 2016 and is often compared to the Russian S-300 system, although in terms of concept and technology it is a domestic design. HQ-22 missiles have a range of approximately 150 kilometers, but in practice the system is also deployed as part of medium-range defense due to its flexibility. A key advantage is dual guidance – a combination of semi-active radar and passive infrared guidance, which allows for more effective countermeasures against jamming and provides higher resistance to electronic warfare. In addition, the HQ-22 is designed to be highly mobile – the entire battery can be deployed within minutes, which increases its survivability in conflicts with high-precision weapons. In addition to the HQ-16 and HQ-22, there are also export variants, such as the FK-3 system, which is a derivative of the HQ-22 adapted for foreign customers. The FK-3 has become the subject of Chinese arms deliveries to, for example, Serbia, which purchased it as an alternative to Western or Russian systems. Export versions tend to have slightly reduced performance and a lower level of sensor integration, but they still represent an attractive option for countries with limited access to Western technology.
In the Chinese concept, medium-range systems thus form a bridge between tactical and strategic air defense. They are highly variable, modular and able to respond flexibly to the changing nature of threats in the airspace. With this segment, China demonstrates its ability not only to keep up with the technologies of leading military powers, but also to localize, modify and in selected cases even surpass them in terms of mobility, efficiency and combat flexibility.
Long-range systems
Long-range air defense systems represent the backbone of the strategic air defense of the People’s Republic of China. They are designed to detect and eliminate air threats at distances exceeding 100 kilometers and play a crucial role in protecting key areas – metropolitan centers, nuclear facilities, military bases and important industrial hubs. In this category, China is betting primarily on domestic designs of the HQ-9 and its modernized variants, as well as on the development of more advanced systems capable of countering ballistic threats. The best-known and most widely used Chinese system in this category is the HQ-9. Developed since the 1980s and introduced into service in the first decade of the 21st century, the HQ-9 was originally a combination of Russian technology (especially the S-300) and Western knowledge gained from French and American systems. The result is a robust system with an effective range exceeding 200 kilometers in the latest variants and the ability to simultaneously track and destroy multiple air targets, including stealth aircraft, cruise missiles and some types of short- and medium-range ballistic missiles.
The HQ-9 system is equipped with a modern phased array radar with high resolution and can use several types of guidance – including active radar, semi-active radar and infrared. Thanks to its modular concept, it is easily adaptable to different types of threats and can be deployed in both stationary configurations and on mobile platforms. In addition to the basic HQ-9A variant, the HQ-9B version was later introduced with an extended range and improved electronic warfare capabilities. In recent years, a variant of the HQ-9C has been introduced, which is likely to integrate active radar guidance and ballistic missile defense capabilities. The system is exported under the designation FD-2000 and has been purchased by Turkey, Pakistan, and Algeria, among others.
Even more ambitious is the HQ-19 system, which represents China’s attempt to create a comprehensive air and missile defense shield capable of countering not only hypersonic weapons but also intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). HQ-19 uses a kinetic method of destruction (hit-to-kill), similar to the American THAAD system. Its development is closely linked to China’s space program and ballistic technology and can be understood as part of a broader effort to create an integrated missile defense capable of protecting the PRC from strategic threats. The operational deployment of HQ-19 is still shrouded in a considerable degree of secrecy, but available information indicates that the system has reached initial operational capability and is deployed in several key regions. In addition to the above-mentioned systems, the Chinese arsenal also includes specialized means for destroying satellites and reconnaissance satellites, which reflects the broader concept of “air defense” as a multi-layered defense of air and near-space space.
In this context, some of the HQ-19’s capabilities can be understood not only as anti-missile but also as anti-space, which significantly expands the strategic significance of this system. Overall, it can be stated that China has achieved technological autonomy in the field of long-range systems and has built a comprehensive network capable of countering conventional and strategic air threats. The long-term goal is to create a fully integrated air and missile defense based on domestic technologies and capable of operating in the environment of conducting modern high-tech conflict.
Erik Simon
