Every summer the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) conducts a major air defense exercise at its western theater command’s air force experimental training base. The anti-aircraft brigade of the 79th group army was the main participant in this year’s drill, on August 22.
The exercise evaluated the unit’s radar system, command and control network, intercept capabilities, electronic and cyber warfare abilities, mobility and logistics. The batteries engaged a variety of aircraft, including the J-10, J-11, Mil Mi-171, Harbin Z-9 and an assortment of UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles).
Reporting, Chinese state media gave particular attention to the Hongqi-16 (HQ-16), one of the PLA’s most prized surface-to-air missiles.
Earlier this month, video and photographic evidence surfaced online that shows China moving trainloads of HQ-16 and HQ-17 missiles to Tibet as the standoff with India at Doklam continues.
The HQ-16 is a third-generation medium-range air defense missile system. Inspired by the Russian Buk, the HQ-16 has a 40 km maximum range of fire. Cold-launched vertically, it takes 13 minutes for a moving HQ-16 to load and fire missiles armed with 70kg warheads.
The transporting of HQ missiles to Tibet shows the PLA is reinforcing its layered air defense arrangement in anticipation of Indian air power
The HQ-16 can lock-on eight targets and engage four simultaneously. Its missile has a claimed maximum flight speed of Mach 2.8, with a single-hit probability rate of between 70% and 98%. In 2016, an upgraded version known as the HQ-16B was unveiled with a greater range of fire at 70 km.
A battery of HQ-16 consists of four launch vehicles, a target searching radar vehicle, a tracking and guidance radar vehicle, a command and control vehicle, missile transport and reloading vehicles and power supply trucks. The HQ-16 is generally used to defend stationary assets.
The HQ-17, however, is highly mobile. Sitting on an all-terrain tracked chassis, the HQ-17 usually accompanies fast-moving armored units. An improved version of the Russian Tor-M1, the HQ-17 has a 12 km range of fire.
Like the HQ-16, the HQ-17 uses vertical cold launchers against enemy jets, helicopters, smart bombs, cruise missiles and UAVs. But unlike the former, one HQ-17 vehicle combines all functions of an HQ-16 battery, empowering it with greater mobility. It takes ten seconds for a moving HQ-17 to engage an enemy. Carrying eight 9M331 missiles with a maximum flight speed of Mach 2.3, an HQ-17 can engage two targets simultaneously.
The HQ-17’s claimed hit probability against cruise missiles is between 56% and 99%; against fighter jets it’s between 45% and 93%; and against helicopters 82% and 98%.
The transporting of HQ missiles to Tibet shows the PLA is reinforcing its layered air defense arrangement in anticipation of Indian air power. The systems’ suitability for operating on the high plateau was confirmed at an exercise, in May, in Tibet’s Tanggula Mountains.
When reflecting on the 1962 war with China, Indian generals often blame their country’s defeat on its misuse of air power. Many believe the war’s outcome would have been quite different had India’s air force participated in an offensive role.
A recent Vayu Aerospace study concluded that the PLA air force would be at a disadvantage in a future war due to Tibet’s extreme climate, which would will limit the payload and combat radius of Chinese aircraft.
Last year, India deployed supersonic BrahMos missiles to Arunachal Pradesh near Tibet. In June, the Indian army announced its plans to send a squadron of HAL Dhruv helicopters to the Chinese border. More recently, the Indian defense ministry approved a deal to purchase six US-made AH-64 Apache attack helicopters for the army aviation corps and announced that it is looking to procure 234 naval helicopters, at a cost of US$5 billion. On August 24, the Indian air force added six C-130J Super Hercules strategic aircraft to its Arjan Singh base in Panagarh, 470 km from Doklam.
The Chinese high command understands India’s assumption of achieving air supremacy in the next war. However the PLA is quietly putting together a neat little surprise for India’s flyboys.
Follow the author on Twitter @MrZiYang.
Kar Alvarez I have never said that Chines war experiance from Korean war have anything to do with Chinas millitary in 2017, No Nation in this concept have experiance in a major war, not India, not China…And hates China? No, everyone do not do that, you whant it to be true, but that is not the same as they do…
Jing Wang, please don’t teach us peace, you want pieces of everyone, we don’t, we give, we gave you Buddha!!
Bring it on! Seriously, bring it on! You will fire the first round, we will fire the last !
China-India Confrontation:
TOTAL WAR between China and India will be MUCH MORE MASSIVE than even WORLD WAR 2 fought by many nations of all the continents. The China-India TOTAL WAR can also become the MOST DESTRUCTIVE WAR ever fought!!! The MASSIVE DEVASTATION of such a TOTAL WAR between the 2 most populous NUCLEAR-POWERED countries will cause the BREAK UP of both China and India into many INDEPENDENT nations!!
China and India will each be divided forcibly into 8 to 10 smaller countries by the rest of the world. China and India will then both DISAPPEAR from the world. They will CEASE to EXIST and NEVER come into EXISTENCE again!!!
Guys I think so least we can do is promoting peace in both regions being developing countries war is not looking anywhere a viable option being the civilians of these country its our moral duty to promte peace and harmony in both the regions Thank you
China’s sabre rattling and false bravados is so ridiculous it’s not even funny anymore. CCP private army PLA sounds more and more amateurish as the days go by. As if Indian armed forces will stand still waiting for Chinese missiles to land. Indian military planners must have done all possible scenarios and their ways to pin down and to destroy entire Chinese Western and Southern theaters. And in high seas Indians are way ahead in game, Chinese CCP is really asking for a defeat of the century.
Jing Wang read maha bharata mythological epic. duryodhan like china threatened. panlabas like like india silently killed entire 11000 crores of army. we fought somany wars. learnt lessons. u have your strategies. we have ours. and your quality is well known copy cats. let us see who will loose
They show their little buds of teeth
In peals of causeless laughter;
They hide their trustful heads beneath
Your heart. And stumbling after
Come sweet, unmeaning sounds that sing
To you. The father warms
And loves the very dirt they bring
Upon their little forms
Hey stupid chinese look & learn something from human animals they have worth you merely cumber earth
Jing Wang, peace is ultimate my brother… Just look at ur Chinese colleuges comments equally dreadful. U talked sense so thank u.. For the rest just see my quotes and I am waiting for their reply. They are waiting for the ultimate one.
Yv Onne Koh u scoundrel u betrayed in 1962′ and now we try to cover ur arse by conveniently forgetting what happened in 1967. It says ems ur back has not stopped painting ever since 1967. This time ur arse will not pain it will bleed.
B.c. Quah yes left to be seen perhaps. Rather than talking I’f China has the guts to attack, it will be seen. It will just talk about 1962 when they betrayed and conveniently try to forget 1967. The master of cheap products have cheap mindset too.
Suman Mitra and on the left china�
History knows it all.Post independence both India and China had been trying to build its defence.India has a history to always protect its smaller neighbours as oppose to the Chines aggresive policy to show hegemony over its smaller neighbours.India has grown as a peoples democracy where as China has become a single party autocracy.India has always given China undue advantages in trade.In reply China created disturbence in Indian soil using Pakistan,aiding POK based militants,stopping Indias inclution in NSG.India could well have created a lot of trouble in Tibet if it wanted to.The whole world knows the human rights violations that takes place in Tibet by the Chines Govt.China shares its border with 14 countrys and it has border disputes with most of them.Most of them had to bow down in front of Chines hegemony and are loosing out their land and sea to the Chines dragon.But China must understand that India is not Philipines or Tajakistan or Vietnam that it will bow down to Chines hegemony and war cry.Historically,India is a protector of her small countries unlike China that is always in the look out for taking over foreign lands by hook or crook.Coming to the probable Sino-Indian war its very much unlikely because China can hardly afford to risk Indian market.At the same time China knows well that in the event of a war India will target its OBOR that trespasses the POK that is a part of India.Those shameless advocates of China must introspect before blaming India as to how their country is constracting illegal artificial islands in South China Sea to stop the movements of ships of other countries in the international searout.So far the present stand of in Dokhlam trijunction is concerned China knows well that its on the Bhutanes territory and thus playing mindgame to seal their defacto authority in that region which is an age old ploy of PLA.So,guys cool down and keep your Blood Pressure in check because India has an upperhand in this conflict and China must not forget how USA is lurking in close proximity to help India to capsize Chines Navy.
Yv Onne Koh, . Neither Doklam nor Tibet belongs to China. What is the need to construct a road into Bhutan’s area or where there is a dispute? China should have stopped when Bhutan raised objections. It doesn’t respect any country but abuses on daily basis…! China dreams of forcing India to join OBOR by creating problems at important areas.
What will you do we also behave like you and supply nuclear weapons to Taiwan or Phillipins?
I am surprised by your freedom of speech. Did you forget Tiananmen Square incident?
现在在印度，没有人认真对待中国，我们为我们国家而感到自豪。 中国想表明，他们正在把美国取代为最强大的国家，但忘记了大国的责任。 这样的态度会使中国像日本在二战中一样。
Yv Onne Koh You have exposed yourselves as paper tigers LOL
你已经将自己暴露为纸老虎
The range of Brahmos is now in the region of a 1000Kms and in thin air it will be enhanced further. The rail roads and the missile batery units will be fairgame to laze by SFF who are alreadydeployed in depth.
Mr. Yv Onne Koh, I assure you if in dreams Chinese attack India this time…The results will be very destroying and generations will remember that in China…All Chinese rising and glory will eat dust….stop giving us last warnings every day if you have guts and as you claim to be superpower…come and let’s see each other on war ground not on this social media….
Syed Iqbal Asif – Don’t bring dalits and Christians in your league. They are miles ahead
Kai Chan that’s why your troops are not firing a single bullet. Chinese porks when are not firing means they know starting a fight will be hard to digest. Only some Chinese pigs like you everyday threatening India and posting propaganda. If you have string heart come to border and fight.