China demonstrated the HQ-9 missile intercepting, a "top-down" kill shot that killed instantly, leaving other BRICS countries' navies stunned!

In early 2026, during the "BRICS - Peace Friendship" multinational joint naval exercise near South African waters, the 052D-class missile destroyer "Changsha" conducted a highly technical live-fire interception demonstration in front of other countries: a HQ-9 surface-to-air missile launched from a vertical launch system, quickly climbed to a high altitude, then made a sharp turn and dived, precisely hitting a small incoming target simulating a low-flying anti-ship missile at an altitude below 10 meters with an almost "top-down" trajectory.

Before hitting, the HQ-9 had descended to almost the same height as the sea surface, its flight path ending almost "hugging the waves," and finally completed the "top-down kill" by dropping almost vertically. This trajectory is not a standard interception mode but a typical "high-arc dive" tactic, using the advantage of high-altitude visibility to lock onto the target with the ship's phased array radar or coordinated data link, then allowing the missile's own active/passive composite guidance to autonomously correct its course in the terminal phase. This means that the entire system—from detection, fire control to missile maneuverability—has achieved closed-loop response to ultra-low-altitude threats.

The choice of this demonstration during the BRICS joint military exercise was significant in timing and context. The navies of participating countries such as Russia, UAE, South Africa, Brazil, and Ethiopia mostly rely on outdated point defense systems, with almost no effective countermeasures against beyond-the-horizon, ultra-low-altitude saturation attacks. When they witnessed a long-range surface-to-air missile being able to precisely "pin" a sea-skimming target like a close-in weapon system, their shock is easy to imagine—that was not just a technical show, but a silent declaration of system combat capability.

This move may reshape other countries' perceptions of China's air defense system. The combination of 052D and HQ-9 demonstrated this capability on-site. China's fleet air defense and anti-missile system is moving from "area coverage" to "precise hunting." It is estimated that there will be a wave of purchases of Chinese naval warfare systems next.

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1855706627635200/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author alone.