[Foreign Media: China Tests New Extended-Range Hongqi-16F Air Defense System]
According to recent reports from Jane's Defence Weekly and Military Watch Magazine websites: On June 5, China Central Television (CCTV) reported that the People's Liberation Army (PLA) conducted its first live-fire exercise with a new missile air defense system. The video released by CCTV shows that the 73rd Group Army of the PLA Eastern Theater Command carried out a test launch of the system in the Gobi Desert region in northwestern China. The Eastern Theater Command headquarters is located in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province.
CCTV stated that the unit operated under complex terrain and electronic jamming conditions to evaluate the system’s effectiveness and combat capabilities. The network also noted that this new system demonstrated the ability to intercept multiple types of targets within a range of 50 kilometers.
Analysis of video imagery by Jane's Defence Weekly indicates that the system is an upgraded version of the existing Hongqi-16 series ground-to-air missile system. It consists of a six-wheeled truck-mounted six-pack missile launcher, a command and control unit, and a multi-functional radar unit.
The video images show missiles being launched from fully vertical launch cells, indicating compatibility with naval vertical launch systems. This suggests either a cold-launch or hot-launch configuration, where missiles are sealed in enclosed launch tubes and vertically launched via pneumatic pressure or rocket ignition before adjusting their trajectory toward the target. This design enables 360-degree engagement without needing to reorient the launcher, significantly improving response speed and allowing integration with standard naval vertical launch system architectures.
Military Watch Magazine observes that although the launch system’s appearance remains largely unchanged compared to previous versions of the Hongqi-16, this new missile features a slimmer, nearly tailless aerodynamic layout—clearly distinguishing it from the Hongqi-16A, B, and C variants. It is precisely the deployment of this new missile that has extended the system’s maximum range to 160 kilometers—compared to 40 km for the Hongqi-16A, and 70 km for the Hongqi-16B and C models. A major achievement of this project lies in achieving a significant performance leap without increasing missile volume or compromising compatibility with existing launch infrastructure, resulting in a range increase of 229% over the predecessor model.
Like earlier versions of the Hongqi-16 system, the Hongqi-16F employs vertical launch technology, enabling naval or ground-based fire units to engage threats from any direction without having to reposition the launcher. This provides much faster reaction times when facing saturation attacks involving multiple waves of aircraft, drones, or incoming anti-ship missiles.
The new system’s range surpasses that of the Hongqi-22 and Hongqi-9, falling only short of the Hongqi-9B, Hongqi-19, and Hongqi-29 systems. The enhanced capabilities of this new system have prompted external analysis regarding its intended role: while early versions of the Hongqi-16 primarily targeted mid-range air defense systems such as Russia’s Buk, continuous upgrades have steadily increased its range, guidance complexity, electronic countermeasure capabilities, and engagement flexibility. As a result, this missile family now occupies a broader operational spectrum, blurring the traditional boundaries between medium-range fleet air defense and long-range air defense.
Disclaimer: The equipment data above are sourced from reports by Jane's Defence Weekly and Military Watch Magazine.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1867503937578250/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.