Latest news with #HQ-9B
India.com
09-07-2025
- Politics
- India.com
From Pakistans Flop To Irans Front Line: Why Chinas HQ-9B Air Defense System Is Under Scrutiny?
China has reportedly transferred its HQ-9B air defense system to Iran. This move has attracted international attention, especially considering the system's troubled history in Pakistan. The transfer, believed to be a trade for oil, comes as Iran aims to strengthen its air defenses against regional threats. The HQ-9B is a long-range air defense system designed in China. It takes inspiration from Russia's S-300 and includes some American and Israeli technologies. The system is built to intercept aerial threats, including enemy aircraft, drones, cruise missiles, and some ballistic missiles. It uses radar to locate targets and then launches its own missiles to destroy them mid-air. The HQ-9B can engage 8 to 10 targets at once within a range of 250 to 300 km. Pakistan's Troubled Experience With HQ-9B Pakistan integrated the HQ-9B into its military in 2021, promoting it as a strong tool against India's increasing air power, which includes Rafale jets and BrahMos missiles. However, the system has performed poorly on several occasions, most notably during India's "Operation Sindoor" in May 2025. During "Operation Sindoor," India carried out precision strikes on terrorist targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). These strikes involved advanced weaponry, including BrahMos missiles, French SCALP cruise missiles, and Israeli Harop drones. Despite the HQ-9B's presence, it reportedly failed to intercept any of these threats. Reports indicated that the Indian attacks were so precise that they also destroyed an HQ-9B battery near Lahore. The system's failures extended beyond "Operation Sindoor." In 2024, when Iran targeted Pakistan's Balochistan with missile and drone strikes, the HQ-9B again showed no response. Several reasons are put forward for the HQ-9B's failures in Pakistan: Lack Of Training: Pakistani military personnel may not have received sufficient training to operate the complex system. Jamming And Stealth Technology: India's use of electronic warfare and stealth missiles might have evaded or confused the HQ-9B's radar. Technical Limitations: Some experts believed the HQ-9B may not be fully capable of intercepting high-velocity missiles, like the BrahMos. Maintenance Issues: The system's high maintenance costs and possible shortages of spare parts in Pakistan could have hurt its operational readiness. These repeated failures led to significant criticism in Pakistan and even on Chinese social media, where the Pakistani military was described as "mute spectators," and the reliability of the HQ-9B was questioned. China's Strategic Transfer To Iran The news of China transferring the HQ-9B system to Iran came out in July 2025. This deal seems to be an exchange for oil, as US sanctions prevent Iran from making cash payments. Why Iran Needs Air Defense: Iran faces serious geopolitical challenges and threats from powerful adversaries, such as Israel and the United States. Recent Israeli airstrikes on Iranian sites have highlighted the need for Iran to improve its air defense systems. The HQ-9B could offer vital long-range aerial defense. Benefits For China: Secure Oil Supply: The deal gives China a steady and potentially discounted supply of oil, which is essential for its economy. Expanding Arms Market: China aims to increase its market presence in the arms trade. Providing the HQ-9B to Iran helps establish a foothold in the unstable Middle East. Reputation Management: The HQ-9B's poor performance in Pakistan damaged China's credibility in defense technology. Deploying it in Iran allows Beijing to showcase the system's effectiveness, particularly against sophisticated Western military technology. Israeli Concerns: Israel has expressed worries about this deal, as the HQ-9B could significantly boost Iran's ability to counter aerial threats. Prospects For HQ-9B In Iran And India's Position It remains uncertain whether the HQ-9B will perform better in Iran. Its past failures in Pakistan do not necessarily indicate that it is ineffective overall. Its success in Iran will depend on several factors: Training And Maintenance: Iran will need to ensure thorough training for its personnel and may rely on China for maintenance and spare parts. Adversary Technology: Both Israel and the U.S. have stealth aircraft and advanced missiles that might evade the HQ-9B's radar systems. Operational Integration: Iran's ability to effectively integrate and use the system within its existing defense framework will be essential. For India, this development could raise concerns, especially given the complex nature of India-Iran relations. If Iran successfully deploys the HQ-9B, it could shift the balance of power in the Middle East. However, India's own strong air defense systems, including the S-400 and Akash missile systems, are designed to counter a wide range of aerial threats, positioning it to handle any potential implications.
Forbes
08-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
China's HQ-9B Challenges Russia's Middle East Air Defense Market Share
HQ-9B, an advanced two-stage air defence system with multi-target anti-jamming capabilities, ... More exhibited at the airshow in Zhuhai in south China's Guangdong province Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024. (LONG WEI / Feature China/Future Publishing via Getty Images) If recent reports are accurate, China has begun to give Russia significant competition in the lucrative Middle Eastern and North African arms market, especially when it comes to exports of air defense systems. Iran has received Chinese surface-to-air missile systems since the recent 12-day war with Israel, the London-based Middle East Eye outlet reported Monday, citing Arab officials. It's unclear how many systems or which type Iran has received, although the report states Tehran is paying with oil shipments. The HQ-9 is China's version of the Russian S-300, and the HQ-9B is an extended-range version. Export variants are known as the FD-2000 and FD-2000B, respectively. Any timely delivery of the HQ-9B/FD-2000B, in particular, to Tehran would send a strong signal to Moscow. Until recently, the most advanced air defense system Iran ever imported was the Russian S-300 PMU-2, which Tehran received in 2016. However, in two rounds of strikes in April and October 2024, Israel disabled the majority, if not the entirety, of Iran's S-300 arsenal without suffering any losses. The 12-day war in June likely destroyed any of the remaining S-300 components. Iran paid approximately $1 billion for these missile defense systems and waited almost a decade for delivery. Aside from its disappointment with the S-300's performance, Tehran is undoubtedly frustrated with Russia's non-delivery of Su-35 Flanker fighter jets that it ordered and paid for early in this decade. Such disappointment, coupled with an urgent need to rebuild its air defense, may prompt Iran to pursue China's Chengdu J-10C Vigorous Dragon fighter instead, especially if it's satisfied with Beijing's prompt delivery of surface-to-air missiles in its urgent time of need. The reported Iran SAM delivery came little more than a week after retired high-ranking Egyptian military official Samir Farag confirmed Egypt's acquisition of the HQ-9B in an interview with Egypt's Sada El-Balad TV. The Diplomat also reported in May that Cairo had confirmed purchasing the HQ-9B and speculated Beijing 'may use Y-20 aircraft to deliver HQ-9B systems to Egypt, just as it previously transported HQ-22 air defense missile systems to Serbia when the landlocked European country was virtually isolated.' The last comparable strategic air defense system Egypt ordered was Russia's S-300VM system in the mid-2010s. In the intervening decade, it has also ordered medium-range IRIS-T systems from Germany, which it displayed for the first time in October 2024. Choosing the HQ-9B over additional S-300VMs aligns with Cairo's consistent preference for diversifying its military arsenal as much as feasible. Nevertheless, it's also a way of hedging against chronic delays in Russia's supply of spare parts of technical support for foreign operators of Russian military hardware in the wake of its 2022 invasion of Ukraine. After all, if Egypt's S-300VMs became inoperable, that could severely undermine its overall strategic air defense if it lacked any alternative and comparable system such as the HQ-9B. Furthermore, Egypt canceled its 2018 order for Su-35 out of fear of incurring American sanctions. China's recent deployment of J-10Cs to Egypt for a joint exercise fueled speculation that Cairo might acquire that Chinese jet instead, which would mark another win for Beijing over Moscow in the region. Algeria recently took delivery of some Su-35s originally built for Egypt from the same batch many speculated Iran would ultimately receive. Algiers still purchases a majority of its military hardware from Russia and reportedly recently acquired the more sophisticated Russian S-400 to enhance its air defense, which already includes S-300s. Incidentally, Algeria's neighbor and rival, Morocco, may have acquired the FD-2000B in 2021. With the conspicuous exception of Algeria, interest in Russia's strategic S-300 and S-400 systems might have already peaked throughout the wider region. Russia withdrew the S-300 system that it nominally delivered to Syria over two years before the regime of Bashar al-Assad finally collapsed in December 2024. Iran's S-300s have gone up in smoke and, if the Middle East Eye report proves accurate, won't be replaced by additional S-300s or even newer S-400s, especially if China has proven willing to supply HQ-9Bs or another comparable system like the HQ-22. In an exceptional and exceptionally costly move, NATO member Turkey received S-400s in 2019 but never put them in service nor exercised its option to acquire a second batch. Those Russian systems remain in storage as Ankara again attempts to regain admission into the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program, from which Washington suspended it due to that contentious acquisition. While Russia marketed its S-300s and S-400s to the Arab Gulf states, none of them ultimately purchased any, even though the United Arab Emirates and, much more recently and secretly, Saudi Arabia did acquire medium-range Russian Pantsir-S1s. However, these states aren't opting for Chinese systems either. Saudi Arabia inaugurated its first company for its U.S.-made THAAD systems on July 2. Additionally, both Riyadh and Abu Dhabi have ordered the medium-range KM-SAM from South Korea in recent years, as has Iraq, which considered purchasing the S-400 in 2018. At least two recent Middle Eastern buyers of high-end Russian air defenses have reportedly turned to China for surface-to-air capabilities. In Iran's case, it may never trust Russia as a supplier again due to the Su-35 case, nor trust the reliability of Russian weapons due to the devastating S-300 losses it has endured. In Egypt's case, it may not opt for Russian air defenses again due to the risk of incurring U.S. sanctions. On the other hand, Turkey's S-400 acquisition was a one-off that Ankara may now privately regret, although it is unlikely to lead the NATO member to consider buying Chinese systems. Ankara had previously ordered the FD-2000 in 2013 as part of a $3.4 billion joint production agreement that it later canceled under pressure from the U.S. and NATO. Today, it appears that China may have begun making rapid inroads in those very same parts of the Middle Eastern arms market that Russia, for various reasons, has recently been losing out on, possibly for good.
India.com
07-07-2025
- Business
- India.com
China sells HQ-9B to Egypt after India humiliates Pakistan during Operation Sindoor, President El-sisi likely to..., Xi plans to...
China President Xi Jinping New Delhi: The importance of air defense systems to protect against aerial and missile attacks has significantly increased considering the changing nature of warfare across the globe. Many countries around the world are purchasing air defense systems to safeguard their airspace. Egypt has also acquired the long-range HQ-9B air defense system from China. Egypt has announced that its military has already deployed the HQ-9B. Due to the policies of the US and European nations refusing to supply weapons, President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi's government has turned to China. However, an interesting point is that this Chinese system failed to protect Pakistan during Operation Sindoor. This could pose a new challenge for el-Sisi. Egyptian media reported that the country's military has officially begun operating the Chinese HQ-9B air defense system. This marks a major shift in Egypt's defense policy, as it had long relied on Western weapons. Egyptian Army Major General Sameer Farag stated that their army has inducted the HQ-9B system. He compared it to Russia's S-400 Triumph and the US-made Patriot PAC-3. All You Need To Know About HQ-9B: The HQ-9B was developed by China Precision Machinery Import and Export Corporation (CPMIEC) The HQ-9B falls under the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC). HQ-9B is equipped with a highly modern radar system and has a range of up to 125 km. China developed it based on Russian S-300 technology. Pakistan has also acquired the HQ-9 air defense system from China. However, during Operation Sindoor, India's missiles successfully evaded this defense system. Pakistan uses the system to protect its airbases and other critical sites, but India managed to penetrate it and destroy Pakistani airbases.
The Star
31-05-2025
- Politics
- The Star
China extends destroyer strike range with airborne early warning system: CCTV
China's most powerful destroyer can now strike beyond visual-range targets with pinpoint precision by linking to an airborne early warning system – the same technology used by the Pakistan Air Force in the recent Kashmir conflict – according to state broadcaster CCTV. On Sunday, CCTV confirmed for the first time that the Type 055 stealth guided-missile destroyer Lhasa could use data links to synchronise with People's Liberation Army's airborne early warning platforms, enabling it to conduct long-range anti-ship and air-defence strikes without relying solely on the ship's radars. Song Zhongping, a former PLA instructor and military commentator, said this represented a major advance in operational coordination. 'Battlefield data fusion – what we call 'situation connectivity' – means complete interoperability and seamless information sharing across domains,' he said. CCTV footage showed the Lhasa taking part in a live-fire exercise involving multi-service coordination under the PLA's Northern Theatre Command, firing missiles guided by airborne targeting cues. Shipborne helicopters and sensors fed data into the combat centre for simultaneous sea‑and‑air engagements, the report said. 'We used data links to share battlefield awareness in real time with the early warning aircraft, significantly expanding our detection range,' Wang Mingwei, a senior sergeant on the Lhasa, told CCTV. 'It allows us to identify both air and sea threats far beyond visual range.' Song said the networked capability mirrored Pakistan's use of the same Chinese technology to shoot down Indian fighters near the disputed Kashmir region. In that engagement, Pakistan's J-10CE fighter jets fired PL-15E long-range air-to-air missiles which were guided mid-flight by a ZDK-3 airborne warning aircraft using target data relayed from a ground-based HQ-9B air defence system. This 'A-detect, B-launch, C-guide' strategy, as reported by CCTV shortly after the Kashmir clash, avoided triggering radar alarms on India's French-made Rafale jets and showed how integrated data links reduced dependence on onboard sensors. 'The Pakistani side used a Chinese-style networked strike system that fused ground, air and space-based sensors,' Song said. 'It shows that through full data link integration, platforms don't have to rely solely on their on-board sensors to prosecute engagements effectively – this is modern joint warfare in action.' Similarly, the Lhasa is equipped with the navy version of the HQ-9B system, which has an estimated range of 260km (161 miles). The US military has long assessed the system as effective against medium- and high-altitude targets but less so against low-flying, sea-skimming missiles such as the American AGM-158C long-range anti-ship missile. Song said this limitation was being addressed through newly confirmed joint operations. 'Together, they compensate for Earth curvature, providing real-time guidance for intercepting low-altitude targets hundreds of kilometres away before the enemy even knows what's happening.' He said the same battle data network 'essentially stretches the maximum range of our most lethal weapons, like the YJ-series missiles, to their true limits. With every sensor linked, the PLA can strike first, deep and precisely.' The system supports advanced missiles, such as the supersonic YJ-18 and hypersonic YJ-21, with ranges stretching from several hundred to more than 1,000km (600 miles). This extended range can only be fully exploited through external targeting support – precisely what the integration with airborne warning systems now provides. Song also drew comparisons to a US military concept proposed in 2017 which aims to connect sensors and weapons from multiple domains into a dynamic, system-of-systems modular combat network. 'What the PLA has now demonstrated with the Type 055 reflects many principles of mosaic warfare,' he said, referring to using a combination of diverse combat platforms and systems to overwhelm the enemy. The Lhasa, commissioned in 2021, is the second hull in the Type 055 class and features 112 vertical launch cells, advanced dual-band active electronically scanned array radar and a displacement of around 12,000 tonnes. - SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
India Gazette
20-05-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
India's BrahMos missile is superior to China's air defences: Defence expert Sanjeev Srivastava
Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh) [India], May 20 (ANI): Defence expert Sanjeev Srivastava has highlighted the unmatched power of India's BrahMos supersonic cruise missile, citing US defence expert John Spencer's remarks that the missile's capabilities surpass even China's advanced air defence systems. 'US defence expert John Spencer stated that India's BrahMos supersonic missile is so advanced that even China's air defence systems have been unable to intercept it. He noted that this highlights India's significant military edge, particularly in its operations against Pakistan, where the failure of Pakistan's HQ-9B air defence system was exposed. Spencer added that India's successful retaliatory strikes using BrahMos missiles demonstrated their effectiveness, generating global interest in the weapon. The India-Russia collaboration on the BrahMos missile has proven to be a major success, with the system now being exported to other countries as well,' he said. India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 and struck nine terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir in response to a ghastly terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam last month in which 26 people were killed. The BrahMos missile system has solidified India's position in defense diplomacy: Cruise Missile Triad that enables precision attacks against land and sea targets; Deterrent Capability, which strengthens India's defense posture with its supersonic speed and range and Indo-Russian Collaboration showcasing successful bilateral cooperation in defense technology. BrahMos boasts impressive capabilities like, reaching supersonic speeds, cruising close to Mach 3; can be launched from land, air, ships, and submarines; initial range of 290 km, with versions being developed for up to 800 km and advanced guidance and stealth technology for precise targeting. The BrahMos has undergone significant upgrades, versions with increased range, such as BrahMos-ER, have been tested; BrahMos-II, with speeds of Mach 7-8, is under development and BrahMos-NG, with reduced size and radar cross-section, is being developed for enhanced capabilities. Meanwhile, on India's foreign policy and defence strategy, the Defence expert said that it is independent and not influenced by Western pressure, citing the government's firm stand during the Russia-Ukraine conflict. 'India's new government does not operate under the influence or pressure of Western nations. When the Russia-Ukraine war began, the United States and several other countries tried to persuade India to scale back its bilateral relations with Russia. However, India stood firm and maintained its independent stance. India's diplomatic engagements and defence strategies are guided by national interests and remain free from external influence,' he said. (ANI)
