China strengthens its defense close to Kashmir with deployment of HQ-9 air defense missile systems 10607151

Defence & Security News - China
 
China strengthens its defense close to Kashmir with deployment of HQ-9 air defense missile systems.
China strengthens its defense close to Kashmir border, according the Chinese news website WantChinaTimes, China has deployed HQ-9 air defense missiles to Hetian airfield in the south of the Xinjiang Uyghur autonomous region in the country's northwest. Hetian is only 260 kilometers from India-administered Kashmir.
     
     
Hetian airfield is the staging base of the PLA Air Force's 37th Air Division, from where the unit's JH-7A fighter bombers can carry out airstrikes against targets in India. As such, it is likely to be a target for the Indian Air Force in the event of a war.

The HQ-9 is a medium-to-long range air defense missile system designed and manufactured in China by the Defense Company CPMIEC (China Precision Machinery Import & Export Corporation). The HQ-9 system is designed to track and destroy aircraft, cruise missiles, air-to-surface missiles, and tactical ballistic missiles.

The missile is armed with a 180 kg warhead, has a maximum speed of Mach 4.2. and has a maximum range of 200 km up to an altitude of 30 km. The missile has a proximity fuse with an effective range of 35m, which goes active when the missile is 5km away from its target.

The HQ-9 launcher erector truck (TEL) has four missile containers. In firing position, the missiles containers are placed at the vertical to the rear side of the truck, two stabilizers are deployed at the rear and center of the chassis.