FN-16 MANPADS
FN-16 (FN = FeiNu, meaning Flying Crossbow) is related to the formerly well-known FeiNu-6 (domestically known as "Hongying-6") portable air defense missile in the Middle East. Both models are from the 8th Research Institute of Aerospace Technology Group. This institute is one of the main research and production units of mainland air defense missiles. The Hongqi-6A and Hongqi-16, which are currently equipped in large quantities by the Communist Army, are the results of this institute. The FeiNu-16 is not an improved version of the FeiNu-6, and the appearance, structure, launch and guidance methods of the two are very different. On the contrary, the FeiNu-16 is a stinging needle (FIM-92 Stinger) shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles are almost the same, especially the guidance methods are the same. Although the export name of the mainland's Fei crossbow-16 is Hongying-6BE, the Communist army itself is not equipped.
FN-16 is the new generation MANPAD missile. The missile uses IR & UV dual color qusi-imaging seeker, laser proximity fuze, it features high anti-decoy capability, larger combat area, easier operation and so on. Flying Crossbow-16 has a shooting height from 10 meters to 4000 meters, and an effective range of 6000 meters. Almost all low-altitude and ultra-low-altitude aircraft can be locked, including fighter planes, armed helicopters or UAVs. For aircraft and helicopters, the interception rate of single shots exceeds 80%, and the target is basically impossible to escape with a double salvo. For ultra-low-altitude cruise missiles, a single-shot interception rate of not less than 70% can also be achieved. Of course, the prerequisite is that there is sufficient time to prepare for the air information in advance.
Fei crossbow-16 was exported to Bangladesh. Pakistan used its domestically produced Vanguard-1 portable missile to be sufficient when dealing with the Russian-made Mi-35 gunship used by India. However, after the Indian army introduced the Apache , It has a complete infrared countermeasure equipment, and the range and performance of the AGM-114 Hellfire missiles are much more than that of the Mi-35 Russian anti-tank missile, so it must import the more powerful Hellfire-16. Confrontation, obviously also recognized the danger of Apache helicopters, so it was anxious to import large quantities.
Since portable missiles are very effective against beachside gunships when amphibious forces are landing, Taiwan currently also imports Apache helicopters for beachhead anti-landing warfare, and it will also face the threat of portable missiles in the future. Equipment has developed rapidly in recent years, and low-altitude aircraft in anti-landing operations should develop countermeasures as soon as possible.
When Pakistan’s Ministry of National Defense released the 2017-2018 Pakistan National Defense Yearbook in October 2019, it revealed that Pakistan purchased a batch of shoulder-launched missiles for infantry from the mainland last year. Crossbow-16, has begun to export. Pakistan purchased these nearly 300 Flying Crossbow-16s to deal with India’s newly purchased Apache (AH-64 Apache) armed helicopters.
According to the land media "Sina Military", Pakistan's new 2017-2018 fiscal year military purchase yearbook has two items related to the mainland, namely, 295 Fei crossbow-16 portable air defense missiles and 60 CM400AKG supersonic air-to-air combat missiles. Ground missile. The latter was once mounted and displayed on the Pakistani Air Force’s Xiaolong fighter, which has long been known to the outside world, but the Fei Nu-16 is the first time it has been confirmed to be exported to Pakistan. Since the Indian army just received the first batch of AH-64E Apache gunships not long ago, it is clear that the batch of Fei crossbow-16s purchased by the Pakistani army was prepared for the Apache in India.
FN-16J, loaded with four rounds of FN-16 missiles, has the capabilities of fire control, infrared target tracking, remote control, servo control and double-missile salvo firing. It is mainly used for air defense of important places like airport when being deployed on the top of the building and the mountain. It is also applicable to being mounted on the vehicle or the ship. Date of Introduction Not Entered Country Of Origin China, People's Republic of Proliferation China Alternative Designation FN-16 Type Short-Range Man-Portable Air-Defense System (MANPADS) Manufacturer INA Seeker Another major improvement is in its seeker, which in addition to the original IR guidance, UV guidance is also incorporated, It is equipped with an infrared/ultraviolet two-color quasi-imaging seeker Fuze Laser proximity fuze. Interception Altitude 10-3,800 m Interception Range 0.5-5.5 km Reaction Time 5s Single Shot Kill Probability (SSKP) 0.8 (Aircraft) 0.7 (Cruise missile) Note #1 The weapon was specifically designed to be used against targets flying at low and very low altitudes. Note #2 It can also be fitted to vehicles, small boats and helicopters. Length INA Width INA Height INA Weight, Combat INA
FN-M Portable Air Defense Missile System
QN202 Xiujian / Hidden Blade
FN-M portable air defense missile system is a kind of precise, lightweight and multirole portable system to engage all kinds of shortrange ground and low-altitude targets. It is used for multiple missions such as anti-UAV, anti-terrorist, special force operations and so on. Its typical targets include lightweight UAVs and helicopters, light armored vehicles, simple fortifications, and speed boats.
Small drones flying at low altitudes are difficult to detect in advance from a long distance, and they often launch saturation attacks in groups. If electronic jamming is used as an interception method, firstly, it is difficult to cover all the drones in the face of a saturation attack launched by a large number of drones and ensure that no one slips through the net. Secondly, electronic jamming requires sufficient reaction time, otherwise it will greatly affect the interception effect, so it is more dangerous. If conventional air defense weapons are used for interception, it can be effective, but the cost is high. Air defense weapons are quite expensive, the number of equipment is relatively limited, and the interception cost is also very high. It is really unaffordable to compete with drones that cost only a few thousand yuan. Even the rich cannot afford to spend money like this.
With the rapid development of science and technology, individual soldiers have become battlefield information nodes. All countries are equipping soldiers with a lot of heavy firepower as if it is free. For example, the Americans have equipped their soldiers with a byproduct of the Future Warrior system, the Xm25 grenade launcher, which not only fires continuously, but also controls the trajectory through the fire control computer, and shoots very accurately. There are also Javelin and Stinger air defense missiles to deal with tanks and air force targets. The European army has prepared the British Starlight individual air defense missile and the French Alex anti-tank missile.
However, these powerful equipment are just a group of younger brothers in the eyes of China's army. Because the PLA’s new generation of individual missiles are more powerful. Conquering mini drones through jamming is still considered effective, especially since the target drone that is successfully conquered can be studied for its 'contents,' because the drone is subdued intact. However, in simulations of handling vital objects or escorting officials at the VIP/VVIP level, the use of tactical drone jammer guns may not be considered sufficient. The process of 'taming' drones in the air certainly takes time, not to mention if the drone is equipped with an anti-jamming system.
While the situation and conditions in the field may require quick handling, the best option is to immediately eliminate the drone. It is not easy to shoot a drone with a mini size that flies low and maneuvers. Perhaps the most effective drone is shot with a SHORAD ( Short Range Air Defense ) system - MANPADS ( Man Portable Air Defense System ) missile. But unfortunately effective is not accompanied by the word efficient, understandably the price of an infrared guided MANPADS missile per unit can reach hundreds of millions of rupiah.
According to the Shanghai Aerospace, the domestically-produced Xiujian micro-multi-purpose missile had completed the design identification test by mid-2022, which means that the development of this missile has been completed and it will soon be delivered for deployment. The Xiu Jian missile is a miniature multi-purpose missile developed by Shanghai Aerospace. It is mainly used for air defense and to strike various drones. It can also be used to attack ground or sea targets. It can be said that the missile is small but has great capabilities.
Small drones flying at low altitudes are difficult to detect in advance from a long distance, and they often launch saturation attacks in groups. If electronic jamming is used as an interception method, firstly, it is difficult to cover all the drones in the face of a saturation attack launched by a large number of drones and ensure that no one slips through the net. Secondly, electronic jamming requires sufficient reaction time, otherwise it will greatly affect the interception effect, so it is more dangerous.
In the new century, large drones, unmanned vehicles and other drones and micro weapons have been put into the battlefield. These weapons are small in size, light in weight and low in cost. If they are attacked with traditional missiles, the cost is too high and the cost-effectiveness is low. If they are attacked with unguided munitions, the hit rate is not high either. In this situation, micro missiles have appeared. Micro missiles are the crystallization of modern microelectronics and microsystem technology. This type of missile is very small, easy to carry, and can be used in large quantities. It can attack drones and other unmanned and micro weapons, and can also hit ground or sea targets.
If conventional air defense weapons are used for interception, it can be effective, but the cost is high. Air defense weapons are quite expensive, the number of equipment is relatively limited, and the interception cost is also very high. It is really unaffordable to compete with drones that cost only a few thousand yuan. Even the rich cannot afford to spend money like this.
China developed a single-soldier portable Hidden Blade air defense missile, which is 40 cm long and weighs 4 kg. The missile itself weighs 2.5 kg, which is lighter than an ordinary machine gun. The diameter of the missile is 6 cm. It is truly a tiny thing and can be called the most compact air defense missile in China's history.
Because of its small size, it can be carried by a single soldier in large numbers. Its range can reach 3 kilometers. Within a range of 3 kilometers, low-flying helicopters, drones, and ground vehicles and personnel and other moving targets are all its targets. It is also very convenient to use. First, the optical sight on the launcher tracks and locks the target, and then the missile's own optoelectronic sensor system is responsible for guiding the attack.
It can be regarded as the natural enemy of drones. After hitting a drone, the broken warheads scatter in the air, covering a very large area, making it almost impossible for the drone to escape. When attacking ground targets, especially in urban counter-terrorism operations, the Hidden Blade can be equipped with other types of warheads, such as anti-explosive warheads. Not only can it easily hit the target, but also because of its small size, it can effectively control the killing range after hitting the target, achieving the miraculous effect of low collateral damage.
From the introduction of the Xiujian micro-missile by the Shanghai Aerospace Team, its positioning and purpose are mainly air defense, attacking targets such as micro-UAVs, helicopters and cruise missiles. From the situation on the battlefield in Ukraine, both sides used a large number of micro-UAVs, helicopters and cruise missiles. These micro-aircraft are widely used for battlefield reconnaissance, surveillance, attack and other tasks. Therefore, defending against these drones can restrain the opponent's reconnaissance and attack capabilities. Traditional air defense missiles are difficult to deal with these targets, and Xiujian micro-missiles are a powerful weapon to deal with them.
Hidden Blade micro-missiles can be carried by infantry in combat. The first type of Xiujian micro-missile is small in size, light in weight, and low in cost, and can be used in large quantities. It can also be equipped to grassroots infantry units or even individual soldiers, and can quickly intercept targets after discovering them, without the need to use anti-aircraft missiles. The Xiujian micro-missile is equipped with a fragmentation warhead and has a certain killing ability. When necessary, it can also be used to attack enemy fire points, snipers, light vehicles and other targets, allowing grassroots infantry units to have long-range precision attack capabilities, and can be called an all-rounder on the future battlefield.
Compared with traditional combat aircraft, drones have the advantage of low prices. If traditional air defense missiles are used to attack drones, it will be like using a butcher knife to kill a fly. In addition, the combat technology of drone swarms is mature, and the cost of using traditional air defense missiles to counter drone swarms is too high and the effect is limited. The manufacturing cost of the "Hidden Blade" air defense missile is relatively low, and it can fight with drones at the same price and scale, so it is a very good choice. Moreover, due to its low price, it will have a large market in the international military trade market, and China's weapon sales will increase a lot.
When attacking ground targets, especially in urban anti-terrorism operations, the Hidden Blade can be equipped with other types of warheads, such as the anti-explosive warhead, which can not only easily hit the target, but also effectively control the killing range after hitting the target because of its small size, achieving the miraculous effect of low collateral damage. It is reported that the technical staff of the institute is also considering the development of a smaller size, 4 cm diameter pocket anti-aircraft bomb.
According to Shanghai Aerospace, the Xiujian micro-missile has already won multiple customers, and it is believed that this micro-missile will have good results in the domestic and foreign markets. The MANPADS missile figure is clearly felt to have its own market for anti-drone (mini) missions. China Aerospace Long-March International (ALIT) has the solution, this manufacturer from China introduced the MANPADS FN-M Multi-role Missile System at the IDEX2019 event held in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (February 17-21).
ALIT officially calls the FN-M a lightweight missile to target low-flying mini drones. The missile, originally developed by the Shanghai Academy of Space Flight Technology, has an overall weight of only 4 kg, including a 1 kg warhead. This missile is the QN202 individual missile that was a little popular on the Internet some time ago. And its biggest feature is one word: small. The missile has a diameter of 40 mm and weighs 1.2 kg. It is not difficult for a soldier to carry seven missiles on his back. It can provide a reliable, effective and continuous heavy firepower output point for the squad.
China Aviation Long March International Trade Company exhibited its export series of air defense missile systems during the 10th Minsk International Defense and Military Police Exhibition (MILEX-2021) in Belarus 23-26 June 2021. Companies from Russia, China, Belarus and 7 other countries participated in the exhibition. The business part of the exhibition was attended by 30 delegations from 22 countries in the world. Among the samples on display, the most portable is the upgraded FN-M air defense missile system. It weighs about 6 kilograms and can destroy helicopters, drones and ground targets within 3 kilometers, including light armored vehicles. The advantage of this system is that it uses artificial intelligence to identify targets.
The launch device is about the size of a submachine gun, but in such a small space, it can actually fit a complete guidance and control system: it not only has a common image-guided warhead, but also is equipped with the most advanced microcomputer image recognition technology. After the missile is launched, it can automatically correct the target based on the target image and cannot be interfered with at all.
It is generally believed that the main weapon of infantry is the rifle. After all, in many cases, vehicles cannot provide effective cover for soldiers, and at this time soldiers can only rely on the weapons in their hands to fight the enemy. But the Chinese have shown everyone through reality that the main weapon of infantry is not just guns, but also missiles. This missile is very small and portable, and can be easily carried around the battlefield. It can be used to deal with helicopters, bunkers, armored vehicles, and even snipers. It is also very flexible because it can fire and forget. After the missile is launched, the shooter can move immediately.
In addition, China's drones can also carry this missile. Because the missile is small, drones can carry a large amount of ammunition, so that each drone has the firepower of an armed helicopter and can carry out fire coverage on the enemy in advance at a long distance. Most importantly, the unit price of this missile is only 30,000 RMB, while the price of European and American individual missiles is more than 50,000 USD. This allows this highly efficient missile to be equipped in large quantities to infantry squads.
| FEATURES |
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| Range |
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| Altitude |
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| Guidance mode | Strapdown visible light imaging guidance |
| Reaction Time | 5 s |
| Single Shot Kill Probability (SSKP) | 0.8 |
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