HQ-2B

Modern air target mainly adopts measures of source or sourceless interferences, conducts horizontal or vertical manoeuvrability and low altitude or high altitude intrusion to avoid attacks by ground-to-air missile. This forced the ground-to-air missile to incorporate necessary anti-jamming technologies accordingly, aiming at increasing capability of attacking all kinds of targets in the air and' survival capability of weapon system. Therefore, the CMC decided in July 1978 to conduct further modifications on Hongqi-2 missile weapon system and designated it as Hongqi-2B missile. In June 1979, the State Council and the CMC set up the task of developing Hongqi-2B missile. It was required to reduce ground vehicles and improve manoeuvrability, to increase anti-jamming capability and the capability of attacking high speed movable target, to further enlarge operational zone and shorten preparation time for operation. Technical management and development organizations for this type was the same as that of Hongqi-2A missile. Chen Xinsheng was the Chief Designer, Xu Pingao and Gu Hanxin were the Deputy Chief Designers.

Modifications and improvements had been carried out mainly on the missile, guidance station and launching control equipment for the Hongqi-2B missile. The missile adopted more powerful fuse and warhead system to increase killing and damaging effectiveness. Performance of propulsion system and ballistic characteristics were improved to suit the enlarged operational zone and the increased speed range of the target. The instruction transmission of anti-jamming digital code was adopted, which enabled accurate transmission of signal with reliable and good anti-jamming performance. By adopting complete new missile-borne electronic power system, the equipment weight had been greatly reduced and the applicable load of the missile had been increased.

Digital circuit had been widely used by guidance station, instruction calculation and shooting command had been computerized. High frequency ranging radar, television tracing system and single-pulse system had been added to the scanning radar, which improved the anti-jamming capability of the target channel. Multi-guidance methods had been adopted in order to suit the situation of attacking low altitude target with high speed, high movability and a jammer. Large screen operational command graphic panel had been set up, which could automatically display many data such as: the range of killing and damaging zone, the preset encounter point between missile and target as well as the launching time. The moving target display and friend and foe identifier had been installed. There had been altogether more than 30 items of new technologies incorporated.

The newly developed mobile launcher had been used instead of the fixed launcher, which reduced the number and the total weight of launching equipment and improved the flexibility and application performance of the weapon system on the ground.

By incorporating the above mentioned technical measures on the Hongqi-2B missile weapon system, the operational zone and the speed range of attacking the target were.enlarged, the capability of attacking moving target were strengthened, the anti-jamming performance and ground flexibility were improved and the automation standard of command, guidance and control systems were raised.

In December 1979, concept study of Hongqi-2B missile weapon system was concluded. Organizations assigned to the development together with the associated organizations made all their efforts for the development work. During the process of pre-study and.. type .development, Zhang Wanjin, Zhang Yonggao and Yu Fengxian made remarkable achievements respectively on the new system fuse, development of radio controller and the general design of missile. At the same time of developing each sub-system, large scale of ground test and flight test were carried out, among which the emulation test was carried out for shooting the simulated target at different altitudes and speeds. The probability of hits had met the design requirements; flight test of independent loop missile, transportation test of the launcher with missile on calibration flight test of guidance station and connection test of technical guarantee system were completed; the quality of guidance loop after using digital computer was checked; the maths model of modified autopilot and transportation capability, safety and reliability of the launcher with the missile mounted were verified. The development of the mobile launcher was proved to be successful, especially after three times actual missile launching tests.

From 1980 to 1986, the operational missile launching tests and the certification flight tests of Hongqi-2B missile had been all successfully carried out from launcher vehicle.