HQ-16 Missile:
The United States military publicly unveiled a mockup of a Chinese HQ-16 surface-to-air missile system, drawing attention at this year’s Experimental Aircraft Association ‘AirVenture Show’ in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
- The HQ-16, known by its NATO designation CH-SA 16, is a medium-range Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) system developed by China and based heavily on Russia’s Buk missile family.
- It is designed to engage enemy aircraft, cruise missiles, helicopters, and unmanned aerial vehicles.
- HQ-16 features a vertical launch system, giving it 360-degree coverage and the capability to fire in a complicated geographical environment.\
- The missile system is mounted on a Chinese-designed 6×6 high mobility chassis instead of tracked platforms, providing ease of maintenance and better road mobility.
- Each launch vehicle carries up to 6 missiles.
- The missile weighs 650 kg, has a length of 5.2 m and a diameter of 0.34 m.
- It can intercept flying aerial targets at altitudes of 15 km to 18 km.
- The maximum interception range for aircraft is 40 km, between 3.5 km and 12 km for cruise missiles flying at 300 m/s.
- The missile guidance system comprises inertial guidance and semi-active radar homing at the terminal phase.
