China will publicly display the surface-to-air missile system for the first time HQ-19also known as Hongqi-19in it Zhuhai Air Show 2024 which starts tomorrow and will last until Sunday. This ballistic missile (ABM) interceptor has been designed to confront these types of threats both inside and outside the atmosphere and is comparable in concept to the THAAD systemacronym in English for ‘Terminal Phase High Altitude Area Defense’, from the USA. Although this is the first public appearance of the HQ-19, the system It is already in operational use by the People’s Liberation Army Air Force.
The system is mounted on an 8×8 high mobility truck and features a launcher configuration of six missiles. It is equipped with information radar 610A which can detect targets up to 4,000 kilometers away, allowing you to cover regions from northern South Asia to the Tibetan plateau of China.
The HQ-19 began its development in the late 90s under the Program 863 of China, focused on high-tech defense advances. Employ a system of infrared guide with side windows to reduce atmospheric interference, allowing you a high precision on high altitude targetsas reported by Army Recognition.
The missile is powered by a two-stage solid fuel engine with carbon fiber construction and uses propeller N-15B. This configuration provides a specific boost of 260 secondsallowing high maneuverability to intercept moving warheads.
Not Vertical Placed, a Little Tilted | HQ-19 pic.twitter.com/7WnuZ1SKOC
— David Wang (@Nickatgreat1220) November 8, 2024
The dual-drive design of the missile’s motor increases its range and increases the kinetic impact during interception. Furthermore, its manufacturing with advanced composite materials allows it Maneuver with forces up to 60G. The interception range of HQ-19 is up to 3,000 kilometersso it can target ballistic missiles, including reentry warheads, within this range.
The system’s kinetic warhead places it among the few systems worldwide equipped with this mechanismalong with kinetic impact vehicles (KKVfor its acronym in English) of the USA, among which are THAAD. In 1999, China became the second country, the first being the US, to adopt kinetic impact technology after completing a successful test.
In the case of the HQ-19, multiple tests have confirmed its performance, including interceptions at more than 200 kilometers altitude and at speeds of up to 10,000 meters per second. In February 2021, China’s Ministry of National Defense reported that HQ-19 met all performance expectations. Since 2010, China has carried out several tests emphasizing its defensive purpose and clarifying that the system is not directed against any specific country.
However, the development of an advanced land-based exoatmospheric missile defense system could allow versions to be installed on Chinese navy destroyers in the future. This would allow China intercept missile threats in distant seassimilar to the capability the SM-3 provides to the US, Japanese and South Korean navies.
Comparison of the system to the US THAAD, also an exoatmospheric missile defense system with kinetic impact technology, has generated interest in the Chinese proposal and its appearance at the air show suggests that could be available for export.