Exclusive: Chinese Type 625E Mobile Air Defense System tested against Drone Swarms.

On June 5, 2025, China North Industries Group’s (Norinco) new Type 625E mobile air defense system was revealed in action, targeting a swarm of drones during a live-fire exercise conducted by a PLA air defense unit. This demonstration underlines a growing trend: the PLA’s focus on preparing its ground forces for future aerial threats, especially low-altitude UAVs. In a world where drones and precision weapons are reshaping battlefield dynamics, China’s integrated and highly mobile air defense capabilities are rapidly evolving. The latest footage signals the operational maturity of the Type 625E and its relevance to future regional conflicts.
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The deployment of the Type 625E signals China’s proactive stance in addressing the rising threat of UAVs, which are increasingly shaping modern military doctrines worldwide (Picture source: CCTV)

The Type 625E is a modern mobile air defense system combining an automatic 6-barrel 25 mm Gatling-type gun with missile launchers, all mounted on a highly maneuverable 8x8 wheeled chassis. Designed to engage low-altitude targets, including drones, helicopters, and precision munitions, the system can operate autonomously without a separate command vehicle. It integrates fire-control radar and electro-optical sensors to track and destroy aerial targets with rapid-response precision. The Type 625E can fire up to several thousand rounds per minute and is fitted with short-range surface-to-air missiles, creating a layered defensive envelope effective in complex airspace.

The Type 625E has followed a fast-paced development cycle reflecting the PLA’s urgent need to counter new-generation aerial threats. Initially presented in prototype form just a few years ago, it has quickly advanced to unit-level training and live-fire qualification. Its deployment during recent PLA exercises, where it successfully intercepted multiple drones, demonstrates not only technological maturity but also doctrinal evolution. The system is a product of China’s broader modernization of air defense forces, drawing lessons from contemporary conflicts where drones have repeatedly penetrated traditional air defense networks.

Compared to similar systems, such as the Russian Pantsir-S1 or the American Stryker-based IM-SHORAD, the Type 625E offers the advantage of full autonomy, integrated targeting, and seamless mobility suited for fast-paced, dispersed operations. While Pantsir and IM-SHORAD remain reliant on layered integration with broader C2 networks, the Type 625E’s design reflects a tactical focus on decentralized operations, a key asset for future urban and regional battlefields. Historically, it follows the lineage of mobile SPAAGs but shifts toward true multi-role air defense vehicles adapted for drone warfare, a field where many legacy systems struggle.

Strategically, the deployment of the Type 625E signals China’s proactive stance in addressing the rising threat of UAVs, which are increasingly shaping modern military doctrines worldwide. The system’s integration into PLA training exercises reveals a clear intent: to prepare Chinese ground forces for future conflicts where drone swarms, loitering munitions, and precision strike platforms will dominate the airspace. This development has geopolitical implications as well, as it showcases China’s ability to field advanced point-defense systems that could be exported to allies or used to reinforce contested regions, particularly in the Indo-Pacific. The PLA’s shift toward such platforms reflects broader trends in preparing for high-tech, multi-domain warfare where dominance over low-altitude airspace will be decisive.

The latest visuals of the Type 625E in action mark a key moment in China’s military evolution, confirming that PLA air defense forces are rapidly adapting to the realities of modern aerial threats. As the global race to develop effective counter-UAV capabilities accelerates, the Type 625E positions China as a serious player in this critical segment of land-based air defense.