Video | Hongqi-16F Live Fire Target Practice! Army Acquires Medium-Range Air Defense and Anti-Missile Capability for the First Time

A video of a live-fire exercise of a new type of air defense weapon system from the People's Liberation Army was recently released. Notably, this exercise was conducted by a brigade of the 73rd Group Army, which mobilized thousands of kilometers from the southeastern coastal area to the northwestern Gobi Desert.

What message does such an exercise arrangement convey? What special capabilities does this air defense system possess? Why did the troops stationed in the southeastern coastal area travel to the northwestern Gobi Desert for a shooting exercise?

Is the new air defense weapon system the Hongqi-16F?

In the vast northwestern Gobi Desert, a group of "air defense vanguards" has recently arrived after crossing thousands of kilometers from the southeastern coast. The six-tube wheeled launcher stands tall towards the sky, with missiles that have a smooth shape, distinctly different from traditional air defense missiles with "wings." What exactly is this new equipment?

Military commentator Shao Yongling: At the 2024 Zhuhai Airshow, there will be a Hongqi-16FE. The model showcased this time is very similar to the Hongqi-16FE, and the most important aspect is that it has a wingless rod configuration and is mounted on a six-tube wheeled launcher. Visually, it is a self-use version of the Hongqi-16FE, which is the Hongqi-16F.

△ First live-fire shooting scene of the new air defense weapon system

For the 73rd Group Army, this "spearhead" force stationed in the southeastern coastal area, the Hongqi-16F represents the capability for the unit to independently support a "defense umbrella" with a radius of 160 kilometers, effectively responding to dual threats from the air and missiles.

Shao Yongling: The earliest models were the Hongqi-16A and B. The A model had a range of only 40 kilometers and was a medium-range air defense missile; the B model's range was expanded to 70 kilometers. Initially, it could only perform air defense, but with the Hongqi-16F, it can now perform both air defense and missile defense.

The Hongqi-16A, B, C, and Hongqi-16F are two types of missiles, evolving from medium-range to medium-long-range air defense missiles, with a range increased to 160 kilometers and an altitude of 15 to 27 kilometers.

The Army has for the first time

achieved medium-long-range air defense and missile defense capability

Shao Yongling pointed out that the Hongqi-16F fills the firepower gap between the Hongqi-9 long-range air defense and the Hongqi-17 short-range air defense, enabling the army's air defense system to achieve full-range coverage for the first time, and for the first time, it possesses medium-long-range air defense and missile defense capabilities.

Shao Yongling: The Hongqi-16F becoming a medium-long-range air defense system and being equipped to the army is of great significance.

First, in the traditional air defense range of the army, it can strike beyond the defense zone. With a medium-long-range air defense and missile defense system, if enemy aircraft drop bombs from over 100 kilometers away, they can be shot down, effectively addressing the problem at its source.

Second, the army now faces threats from tactical missiles on the battlefield, which traditional medium-range air defense systems cannot intercept. With the Hongqi-16F, both ballistic and cruise missiles can be intercepted. The army's acquisition of medium-long-range air defense and missile defense capability marks an important milestone in capability evolution.

Why is the "rod missile"

stronger without "wings"?

The most notable feature of this missile is the removal of the traditional missile's winglets and main wings, which enthusiasts have vividly dubbed the "rod missile." Why do traditional missiles have wings? Mainly to generate lift, facilitate turning, and stabilize the missile body.

However, when the missile speed exceeds Mach 2, the wings become a burden: shock wave resistance increases significantly, efficiency decreases as speed increases, heat generation intensifies, and radar cross-section increases. The "rod missile" precisely addresses these issues.

Shao Yongling: First, drag is reduced, range is increased, and speed is enhanced. The Hongqi-16F can reach a range of 160 kilometers and a speed of up to Mach 5, which is directly related to its rod design;

Second, it has better maneuverability and can intercept from all directions, as missile defense must have omnidirectional interception capability;

Third, it is more compact, with a smaller launch tube diameter, allowing the launcher to carry more missiles. Especially for the naval version, using a vertical launch system on warships, it can carry more missiles without winglets;

Fourth, the rod missile has better stealth performance, with a smaller radar cross-section, making it harder to detect.

What secrets are hidden in the missile launch vehicle's concealment?

In the released footage, certain positions of the missile launch vehicle have clearly been obscured. What are these obscured areas? Shao Yongling pointed out that the concealment during the exercise is mainly for technical confidentiality; however, the considerations in a real battlefield are entirely different.

△ Missile launch vehicle with obscured areas

Shao Yongling: Some are based on the need for technical confidentiality, some to reduce the probability of reconnaissance and identification, and some are to protect equipment, as well as for tactical camouflage and deception, etc.

The covering of radar optical windows and antenna areas is not for confidentiality; it is mainly to shield radar wave characteristics, infrared radiation, and electromagnetic signals, preventing electronic reconnaissance and passive positioning. This is actually based on considerations for battlefield survival.

On one side is the humid sea breeze, and on the other is the dry desert. From the southeastern coast to the northwestern Gobi Desert, the climate, altitude, and electromagnetic environment are completely different. This live-fire exercise of the new air defense weapon system is an effective test of the combat effectiveness of the new equipment and the unit's all-domain operational capability, showcasing a new leap in the air defense capabilities of the Chinese army.

Supervisor丨Wu Zhehua

Reporters丨Cui Tianqi, Wang Jiyun

Video丨Ning Bo