Breaking through a large number of key technologies, China's surface-to-air missiles have been miniaturized collectively, with their combat effectiveness greatly increased, leaving the US and Russia envious.
Recently, a new domestically developed surface-to-air missile system equipped on an 8×8 high-mobility wheeled launch vehicle has sparked heated discussions. From its unique "pin" shaped layout and design, it is likely to be the latest upgraded version of the HQ-16 medium-range air defense missile. With breakthroughs in key technologies, China's surface-to-air missiles have achieved collective miniaturization, significantly enhancing their combat effectiveness, making their counterparts in the US and Russia look inferior.
The HQ-16 was determined as a model in 2005 and has undergone many upgrades. The initial model had a range of only 40 kilometers. After improvements, the HQ-16B/C models were introduced, which had a longer range, reaching 70 kilometers. By the time of the 2022 Zhuhai Air Show, the export version of the HQ-16FE was even more powerful, with a range of up to 160 kilometers, which can be considered a long-range missile, significantly expanding the area it can defend.
Although it has excellent performance, the original body size of the HQ-16 (length 5.2 meters, diameter 0.35 meters, weight 645 kilograms) limited the number of missiles that could be carried by the ground launch vehicle, only 6 missiles. In modern warfare, facing various weapons' saturation attacks, the insufficient ammunition capacity became a weakness. The Russian "S-300" system also had some shortcomings. To improve this situation, Russia began developing the S-350 and "S-300M3" systems, which mainly aimed to increase the number of missiles they could carry, allowing them to fight for a longer period.
China took a different approach, achieving the miniaturization of the missile engine and fuel technology. The new version of the HQ-16 missile has a smaller diameter and lighter weight, but its combat effectiveness hasn't decreased; instead, it has become stronger. Moreover, the launch vehicle carrying this missile can now carry 12 missiles instead of the original 6.
The outstanding performance of the HQ-16 is not an exception. Another important air defense system, the HQ-9, has also made new progress in missile miniaturization technology. The number of missiles that the HQ-9B surface-to-air missile system can carry has increased from 4 to 8, greatly enhancing its ability to defend against enemy attacks. The benefits brought by technological progress can be seen throughout the "HQ" missile family. For example, the medium-range HQ-16 and the long-range HQ-9 have all benefited from miniaturization technology, enabling China's air defense system to better cope with complex and ever-changing aerial and space threats.
There is another matter worth noting. China has made significant progress in air-to-air missiles, with performance greatly improved. Now, both air-to-air missiles and surface-to-air missiles are "breaking through together," surpassing American counterparts. Whether it is air-to-air missiles or surface-to-air missiles, China has achieved comprehensive breakthroughs in technologies related to reducing weight.
In terms of materials science, high-strength, lightweight composite materials are now used, replacing the previous metal materials. This reduces the missile's weight while ensuring sufficient structural strength. In engine technology, the application of miniaturized engines and new solid fuels improves thrust and range while significantly reducing engine volume. In guidance systems, miniaturized radar and infrared seekers further reduce the missile's overall weight. These technological breakthroughs are not just laboratory results but have already been successfully applied to multiple missile models, achieving large-scale engineering production, fully demonstrating that there are no bottlenecks in engineering applications.
By comparison, the US and Russia have made slow progress in the miniaturization of surface-to-air missiles. Although the Russian S-350 and "S-300M3" air defense systems have tried to increase the number of missiles they can carry, their designs remain largely unchanged, with little innovation. As a result, these two Russian air defense missiles are far behind China's HQ series in terms of performance. Looking at the US, although the "Patriot" air defense system is technically impressive, it is powerless when faced with a saturation attack involving a large number of targets. It carries few missiles and is not fast or flexible enough, so it cannot match China's new generation of air defense systems in such situations.
China's breakthrough in the miniaturization of surface-to-air missiles not only enhances the combat capability of a single vehicle but also optimizes the flexibility of troop deployment and the efficiency of logistics support. Although the US and Russian air defense systems have their own advantages, they have been left far behind China in the field of miniaturization technology.
From the HQ-16 to the HQ-9, from the PL-15 to other new air-to-air missiles, the collective breakthroughs of Chinese missiles mark a comprehensive breakthrough in key technologies. This innovative approach of using "small equipment to achieve big results" has significantly improved China's air defense and air combat capabilities, giving it a technological advantage in international arms competition. In the future, as more technological achievements are applied in practice, China's air and space defense capabilities will surely become even stronger, building a more solid and unbreakable "air defense line."
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7539068351977407017/
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