China’s Discontent with Russian S-400: China abandoned the Russian S-400 discovering its vulnerabilities and weaknesses

Chinese state run media reported that China is dissatisfaction with the Russian S-400.

The harsh criticism that began after the first S-400 systems were adopted by the PRC may be due to the fact that China decided to conduct its own tests of Russian systems, moreover, not on conventional cruise missiles and target drones, but on hypersonic weapons, which China already possesses. Thus, according to Chinese defense experts, taking into account several recent tests of intercontinental ballistic missiles with maneuvering hypersonic weapons, China could well test the S-400 with its weapons, and reveal that these systems cannot detect such targets, although Russia stated that the S-400 designed to deal with hypersonic weapons and ICBM with hypersonic speed.

Engagement Range of Chinese S-400 Batteries Over Taiwan (A - 48N6DM) (B - 40N6E)
Chinese S-400 could cover threats from Taiwan and Taiwan Straight.

Russian media reported that China’s People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force tested the S-400 Triumf air defence system, successfully shooting down a “simulated ballistic target, not an actual target” almost 250km (155 miles) away.

Song Zhongping, a Hong Kong-based military expert with a focus on the PLA, said the tests conducted by Russian and Chinese military personnel were an “advertisement” by the Russian military to promote its S-400 system to India and Turkey.

Chinese Defense Experts Li Jie bases his conclusions on the fact that only a few months ago it became known about the development of radars capable of detecting hypersonic targets flying at a speed of up to mach 10, which means that the S-400 could not defeat hypersonic missiles from the very beginning.

“It is important to understand that China is very careful about acquiring various weapons and would almost certainly check all the capabilities of the Russian S-400. Given the strict censorship of the Chinese media, statements about the impracticality of the S-400 may well be true. Moreover, up to the present opinion, the reputation of Russian air defense systems were clearly spoiled in Syria ”, – the analyst notes.

The military from the People’s Republic of China decided not to buy additional Russian S-400 air defense systems in the future due to the fact that these systems revealed certain vulnerabilities to enemy stealth airplanes and according to the People’s Republic of China, overpriced systems. As an alternative to Russian weapons, a decision has already been made to purchase FD-2000 systems, which are serious competitors to Russian systems.

According to the Chinese information resource Sohu, Beijing intends to acquire another batch of Russian S-400 systems are not true, since the same FD-2000 systems showed themselves better in comparison with the S-400, although the maximum the range of defeat of the goals of the latter is less. Nevertheless, at a much lower cost, these systems may turn out to be a rather rational choice for the Chinese army, especially since such countries as Iran, Pakistan, Morocco are already actively interested in FD-2000.

“There are two main reasons why the FD-2000 is popular in Morocco and other countries: although the first FD-2000 is known as the“ Chinese version of the S-300, ”its actual combat power is much higher than that of the S-300. According to the analysis of Western military experts, the combat power of the Chinese FD-2000 is similar to the Russian S-400 with shorter range. However, in terms of selling price, the FD-2000 is even cheaper than the S-300. ”- reports the publication “Sohu.”

It should be clarified that the PRC is quite actively criticizing Russian weapons, although it continues to be in the arsenal of this country, although, according to analysts, China can only use Russian developments to improve Chinese missile systems.

It was the first time the PLA’s missile force had tested the system since it received the last shipments of the weaponry from Russia in July last year under a US$3 billion contract signed in 2015.

Earlier, Chinese media reported that the military from China have no intention of buying Russian S-400s anymore, replacing them with FD-2000 systems.

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