China has imported S-300, S-300PMU2 and S-400 air defence systems from Russia to study and reverse-engineer its own HQ-9B missile system, as the two militaries continue to step up cooperation.
Russian media reported that China’s People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force started testing the S-400 Triumf air defence system after the Iran war to figure out what went wrong with the HQ-9B missile system.
Reports from the insider revealed that China failed to shoot down a test ballistic target, which was almost 100km away and moving at the supersonic speed of 3km (1.9 miles) per second.
This missile failure sent a shiver down Xi Jinping’s spine, who plans to invade Taiwan, which possesses modern American weapons systems.
Chinese state media have hailed what is believed to be the first combat use of the air-to-ground missiles, after Pakistan claimed they were used to destroy an Indian S-400 air defence system. This claim also creates significant panic within the People’s Liberation Army because it is the very system China used to reverse-engineer its HQ-9B system. A high-ranking Communist Party member questioned the reliability of HQ-9B, as Taiwan possesses more advanced weapons than Pakistan.
Official news agency Xinhua reported on Saturday that Pakistan’s air strike had destroyed India’s Russian-built air defence system in Adampur, in the border state of Punjab.
The HQ-9B is a long-range surface-to-air missile (SAM) system developed by the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC) based on Russia’s S-300 and S-400 system. It is marketed internationally by the China Precision Machinery Import-Export Corporation (CPMIEC) in Iran and Pakistan.
The China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC) blamed the Russian manufacturer for poor radar and interceptor design and development, which led to the failure of the CASIC-made HQ-9B system in Iran and Pakistan.
It was the second time the PLA’s missile force had tested the system in 2026 since it received the last shipments of the weaponry from Russia in July under a $3 billion contract signed in 2015.
Chinese People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force (PLARF) servicemen are currently dissecting and dismantling the second regimental set of Russian-made S-400 Triumf long-range interceptor-based air defence systems (NATO reporting name: SA-21 Growler) at a military base in southern China.
Russia has been training PLARF personnel on the S-400 air defense system in 2018 and throughout 2019.
The standard S-400 battery consists of four transporter erector launchers (TELs) with four large launch tubes or 16 smaller tubes (or a combination of the two) per TEL, in addition to long-range surveillance radar target acquisition and engagement (fire control) radar systems and a command post (vehicle). In the Russian military, two batteries make up an S-400 battalion (also known as an S-400 division), while an S-400 regiment comprises two battalions.
Each TEL can carry up to 16 short- and medium-range missiles. An S-400 regiment also possesses additional surveillance and target-acquisition radars, with the unit generally integrated with larger long-range radar stations or airborne early warning systems.
However, the Russian-made system operates independently and lacks the Cooperative Engagement Capability. An entire regiment can be airlifted and does not integrate with any other battle management system.
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