Mass destruction in Iranian cities in coordinated airstrikes by the US and Israel has put the spotlight on the failure of Tehran’s air defence system in intercepting incoming projectiles.
The HQ-9B air defence system, which Iran recently procured from China to boost its arsenal, appears to have fallen short of its task. Earlier, HQ-9B had failed to adequately protect targets in Pakistan when India launched Operation Sindoor to avenge the Pahalgam terror attack. The sub-par performance in Iran has now prompted combat analysts to question the HQ-9B’s actual combat capabilities compared to Chinese propaganda.
While the air defence system’s failure could indicate flaws and shortcomings, it is also possible that the combined airpower of the US and Israel has just overwhelmed the HQ-9B-backed infrastructure, which was put together hurriedly after hostilities in the Gulf began.
The system had previously drawn scrutiny after reports that it failed to adequately shield targets in Pakistan during India’s Operation Sindoor.
Analysts now suggest two broad explanations for its apparent shortcomings in Iran: technical constraints such as radar coverage, reaction time and interceptor inventory, or operational overwhelm.
The combined US–Israeli campaign reportedly involved stealth aircraft, electronic warfare, precision-guided munitions and cyber operations. If early strikes degraded radar and command nodes, even advanced systems could struggle.
What is the Chinese-made HQ-9B SAM?
Developed by the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation, HQ-9B is reversed-engineered copy of the Russian S-300PMU, but has evolved into a fully indigenous air defence system. This was first tested in 2006 and has been in use for the past decade. According to multiple reports, its range is 200 km, and it can reach up to 30 km in altitude to shoot down high-altitude projectiles.
Features such as a semi-active radar-homing seeker and a blast-fragmentation warhead make it ineffective against aircraft and missiles. The HQ-9B, reports say, can simultaneously engage 4 targets and track up to 10.
The missile lacks a datalink for midcourse target update and relies on blast fragmentation when it nears the target, making it difficult to hit. These flaws are inherited from the original Russian S-300PMU missile system that China reverse-engineered.
Like the S-300PMU missile system, the Chinese Type 305A radar system is an identical Russian-origin phased array radar. This radar has a problem with tracking targets while engaging other targets, and slow target data processing and low refresh rates make it harder for this radar to provide accurate target data to the missile.
The HQ-9B has been deployed in Beijing, Tibet, and the South China Sea, all of which are critical to China’s strategic interests, making this surface-to-air missile system a mainstay of its air defence network.
This missile system failure in Pakistan and Iran puts China and its cities in danger if Taiwan’s F-16V Block 70 fighters fitted with Viper Shield EW suite, AN/APG-83 AESA radar, modern targeting system, datalink and armed with advanced AIM-120D AMRAAM missiles and JDAM enter Chinese cities, it could wreak havoc inside China.
How does it fit into Iran’s arsenal?
As tensions spiralled in the Gulf, Iran started boosting its security arsenal. The HQ-9B, it is learnt, was procured by Iran as part of an oil-for-weapon deal with China.
This was Iran’s big upgrade after the Russian S-300PMU-2, and BAVAR-373 performed poorly against Israeli missiles during the 2025 conflict.
According to reports, the HQ-9B formed the long-range layer, supported by S-300PMU-2 and Bavar-373 (long-range), Khordad-15 and Raad (medium range) and short-range Tor-M2, Pantsir-S1, Zolfaqar, tactical MANPADS missiles. HQ-9B were likely deployed around key installations like the Natanz nuclear complex, the Fordow enrichment facility, the IRGC’s missile and UAV bases and airbases near Tehran and Isfahan.
Paper tiger as layered air defense
Iran’s air defence architecture is designed to function in tiers. The long-range layer was reportedly anchored by the HQ-9B, supported by Russian-origin S-300PMU-2 and S-400 systems and Iran’s indigenous Bavar-373.
Medium-range systems such as Khordad-15 and Raad were intended to plug coverage gaps, while short-range systems, including Tor-M2, Bark-1, Barq-2 (Russian Buk-M1 copy), Pantsir-S1, Zolfaqar and shoulder-fired MANPADS, were tasked with countering low-flying threats and precision-guided munitions.
Despite its layered air defence network, large numbers of incoming projectiles appear to have penetrated Iran’s defences, and the Israel Defence Forces said it had “dismantled the majority of aerial defence systems in western and central Iran,” paving the way toward establishing aerial superiority over Tehran’s skies after the coordinated strikes.
Rapidly escalating conflict
Following weeks and months of heated exchanges, the US and Israel launched a coordinated strike on Iranian cities yesterday, drawing Tehran’s sharp retaliation. More than 20 of Iran’s 31 provinces, including capital, Tehran, have been affected by the strikes.
The strikes and the counterstrikes have affected large parts of the Middle East, including forcing a closure of Dubai airport, one of the world’s busiest. Iran has widened the conflict, targeting US allies Qatar and the UAE to send a strong message that siding with the enemy will invite consequences. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been killed in the strikes, and Tehran has vowed the “most ferocious offensive operation in history” to avenge him.
US President Donald Trump has described Khamenei as “one of the most evil people in history” and said the US offensive will continue “as long as necessary to achieve our objective of peace throughout the Middle East and indeed, the world
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