Azerbaijan's military parade has attracted global attention, as the HQ-9B air defense and anti-missile system appeared on the parade, and in addition to the HQ-9B, the JF-17 Thunder fighter jet also made an appearance at Azerbaijan's military parade.
It is worth noting that NATO had not received any information about Azerbaijan purchasing Chinese weapons systems. This means that U.S. intelligence failed. The deployment of Chinese weapons in Azerbaijan is a big move.
Why do I say this? Let me explain it to you.
The geographical location of Azerbaijan is very important to China
Firstly, Azerbaijan has a very important strategic position, located in the east of the Caucasus region, bordering the Caspian Sea, neighboring Iran and Turkey, bordering Russia to the north, and adjacent to Georgia and Armenia to the west. It can be said to be at the "heartland" of Eurasia, and has been an important node on the Silk Road since ancient times. This geographical location makes it naturally a two-way transportation hub connecting the east (China and Europe) and the north (Russia and South Asia).
In terms of specific transportation routes, Azerbaijan is a key link in the Trans-Caspian International Transport Corridor (also known as the "Middle Corridor"). This route starts from China, crosses the Caspian Sea through Kazakhstan to Baku in Azerbaijan, and then enters Europe through Georgia. It provides China with the shortest multi-modal transport route to Europe.
In short, Azerbaijan plays a very important role in China's efforts to open up an Eurasian transportation hub and build a large pan-Eurasian market. A stable, independent, and friendly-to-China Azerbaijan is an important pivot for China to deepen and develop a pan-Eurasian market. However, due to its geographical significance, the area is a battleground where Turkey, Iran, and Western powers intersect and compete.
Under this context, China providing defensive military equipment to Azerbaijan goes beyond mere military trade. This cooperation helps Azerbaijan enhance its defense capabilities and strengthen its ability to cope with regional security challenges, thereby consolidating its national sovereignty and independent decision-making space. A more secure Azerbaijan can maintain a balanced diplomacy between China, Russia, and the West, which is a rational choice for China to plan its Eurasian chessboard.
Whether it is the HQ-9BE or the JF-17 Thunder fighter jet, they are all Chinese weapons that have been fully verified in combat.
The HQ-9BE made a big impression in the India-Pakistan air battle. Pakistan successfully intercepted an S-400 missile launched by India using the HQ-9BE, achieving the world's first "air defense missile intercepting air defense missile" battlefield myth.
The S-400 is equipped with a radar system that can detect up to 600 kilometers, earning it the nickname of "long-sighted eye" in the air defense field. It can track and process up to 72 targets simultaneously. Although the phased array radar of the HQ-9BE is advertised to have a detection range of only 300 kilometers, it is superior in multi-target processing and anti-jamming capabilities. It can track up to 100 targets and has very strong anti-electronic jamming capabilities. During the India-Pakistan conflict, the Indian S-400 suffered electronic interference, causing delays in target identification. This exposed the shortcomings of the Russian system in complex electromagnetic environments.
Moreover, the time from target detection to launch of the interception missile by the HQ-9BE is only 6 seconds, which is three times faster than many traditional systems. This characteristic allowed the HQ-9BE to gain the upper hand when intercepting missiles launched by the S-400. In addition, the interception missile of the HQ-9BE is equipped with an active radar seeker-10, which can autonomously search for the target during the final flight phase. It is reported that the improved seeker may use a dual-mode guidance technology combining millimeter-wave radar and infrared imaging-8, further improving the accuracy and anti-jamming capability.
The greatest advantage of the HQ-9BE lies in its system-based operations. The HQ-9BE has data link collaborative operation capabilities, enabling it to share information and collaborate with other air defense systems (such as the HQ-22), early warning aircraft, and Chinese fighter jets, integrating into a larger air defense network system to achieve "1+1>2" operational effectiveness.
This is why after purchasing the HQ-9BE, Azerbaijan continued to purchase 36 JF-17 Thunder fighter jets. The JF-17 Thunder fighter jet has outstanding maneuverability, a large range, long endurance, and a wide operational radius, as well as excellent short takeoff and landing capabilities and strong weapon loading capacity. The entire aircraft has seven external mounting points, capable of carrying various air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons, and can carry three auxiliary fuel tanks, with a total external load capacity of 3,600 kilograms. Especially when paired with the Chinese PL-15E air-to-air missile, it can destroy enemy aircraft over 200 kilometers away.
The JF-17 Thunder has reached the comprehensive combat effectiveness of a fourth-and-a-half generation fighter jet. Not only can it compete with advanced fighter jets today, but it also has the characteristics of being lightweight, small-sized, and low-cost, completely adapting to the requirements of modern warfare and the demand for military aircraft.
The "JF-17" adopts an advanced overall aerodynamic layout, greatly improving the plane's supersonic performance. It uses an advanced "butterfly" inlet design technology, designing a bulge on the front of the fuselage in front of the inlet to pre-compress the air entering the inlet and blow away the boundary layer, effectively increasing the inlet efficiency and saving the structural weight of the aircraft.
In addition, due to the adoption of advanced core technologies in aviation electronics and system integration, the "JF-17" can implement beyond visual range attacks, and can carry a variety of weapons including precision-guided weapons, with multiple advanced functions such as precise navigation, battlefield situation awareness, target detection and identification, combat attack, and electronic warfare. In addition, it can choose different combinations of aviation electronic systems according to the different requirements of users.
It can be said that after importing the HQ-9BE and the JF-17 Thunder fighter jet, Azerbaijan theoretically obtained air superiority in the Caucasus region.
Azerbaijan also needs Chinese weapons to maintain a strategic balance
Azerbaijan's choice to purchase Chinese weapon systems, such as the HQ-9BE air defense system and the A-300 rocket launcher, is a wise decision for both sides. Azerbaijan is located in the Caucasus region, a strategic crossroads between Europe and Asia, and has long been caught in the struggle between the United States and Russia, often relying on Turkish military support, but Turkish weapons are limited in level. This situation makes Azerbaijan neither want to completely rely on Russia and be controlled, nor want to be overly influenced by the United States and lose its autonomy. Chinese weapons provide a balance point, because China follows a non-alignment policy and has no historical conflicts with Azerbaijan. The two countries have already established a solid cooperative relationship in the economy, such as Chinese companies participating in the development of Caspian oil and gas fields, which lays the foundation for military cooperation.
For Azerbaijan, purchasing Chinese weapons can save money first. American weapons like the F-16V fighter jet cost as much as $220 million each, far exceeding Azerbaijan's defense budget. Chinese weapons offer better value for money and will not burden the budget too much. Second, Chinese weapons are reliable in performance. The coverage of the HQ-9BE air defense system can reach 260 kilometers, covering the capital Baku and surrounding economic core areas, and can even cover the northwest of Iran, and even deter the airspace in the central Caucasus. This is certainly something the United States does not want to happen.
The A-300 rocket launcher is even more powerful, with a maximum range of 290 kilometers, able to strike multiple targets in a large area in one salvo, covering an area of about 20 square kilometers, especially suitable for dealing with cluster targets, like a "regional cleaner." These weapons help Azerbaijan enhance its defense capabilities without accepting U.S. military sales that come with political conditions, thus maintaining policy independence.
For China, this transaction brings many benefits. It marks the successful entry of China's high-end weapons into the international defense market traditionally dominated by the United States and Russia, enhancing the global reputation of China's defense industry. By exporting advanced systems like the HQ-9BE, China can not only earn foreign exchange but also expand its technical standards and strategic influence to more regions, such as the Caucasus. Moreover, this transaction shows that the U.S. intelligence network may have had a flaw. In the past, the United States could anticipate the military movements of other countries, but this time it did not receive any information, indicating that China did well in confidentiality and diplomacy, enhancing international trust. Overall, this cooperation is a win-win situation. Azerbaijan gets a practical defense option, while China expands its global influence.
Original text: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7569897052256174642/
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