HQ-9 - Technical Characteristics

The HQ-9 is an advanced third-generation air defense missile system, characterized by large, multi-target anti-jamming and anti-saturation attack capability, advanced guidance system (with two command and control systems), adapted to the needs of modern warfare ; particular. It is the first domestic Chinese weapons systems with limited anti-tactical missile capabilities.

The HQ-9 is a two-stage missile with a length of 8.5 meters using solid propellant engines, a motor diameter of 700 mm, two 560 mm diameter, main engine, polyether polyurethane propellants are used. It has a maximum speed of Mach 4.2, and can attack enemy aircraft or missiles at high altitude. The HQ-9 has a maximum range of 200 km, engagement altitudes from 0.5 to 30 kilometers.The missiles are carried on three heavy tractor trailers, with four or six placed in tubes filled with inert gas storage on one, while the second vehicle carries the radar, and the third the command post.

Each camp has 12 launchers, 36 missiles, six missile to a control block, with 3-6 launched at the same time in different directions to the target, the first use of aircraft targets 1-2 missiles, ballistic goal of doubling the firing interval of about 5 seconds. Expand the whole system for about 6 minutes, the reaction rate 12 to 15 seconds, which are comparable to S-300 series of data. Missile maximum mobility 22G, reload time of 2 minutes, the vehicle carrying a maximum speed of 60 km.

The HQ-9 missiel is longer than 9 meters, 0.7 meters diameter; aspect ratio of about 12.9, close to the Patriot's 12.6. Weighing about 2 tons, with a warhsad heavier than 180 kg, the payload carrying factor of 11 is better than the S-300V and PAC-2 +, but inferior to S-300PMU1. As with other types of missile, the warhead is triggered by the radio proximity fuse prefabricated high-explosive fragmentation type. With a maximum speed of Mach 4.2 missile, the maximum flight time is more than two minutes.

The HQ-9 estimated minimum range is 6 km, a maximum range of 200 km, the minimum altitude ahout 0.5 kilometers, the highest about 30 km, with the minimum a slightly larger range. It can intercept ballistic missiles when the maximum range is less than 30 km, which is poor compared with S-300 series, which has a range of 40 km. The single shot killing ratio against an airplane is from 0.7 to 0.9. For the interception of ballistic missile targets, the single kill probability is higher than 30% is unlikely, this situation is also found in Taiwan ATBM.

The HQ-9 phased array radar is similar to the Patriot's MPQ-53, but different from the S-300 series. The overall performance is claimed to be no less than S-300PMV1 64N6 remote search radar. Azimuth scan angle of 120 degrees, tilt angle from 0 to 90 degrees, the beam width of 2 degrees, a strong anti-interference ability, the transmitter peak power of 1000 kilowatts, with about 60 kW average power. The radar can simultaneously track over 100 aerial targets at ranges up 300 km and speeds up to Mach 7, while the threat assessment system automatically selects the most threatening target and assigns them to the launching vehicle. The main antenna array has circular sidelobe interference cancellation for multiple rectangular array, Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) antenna works at L-band.

The phased array radar pulses with full coherent frequency agility (FA) technology aimed at jamming, for the main beam and sidelobe cancellation antenna selection with good spatial ability; with anti-clutter, deception jamming, elimination of negative interference, anti-radiation missile decoy to capacity; another extremely powerful because the power transmitter with a few foreign radar "burn-through capacity", can completely suppress the low-power jammers.

Air defense command and control centers have liquid crystal display and control units, each display and control console with two 20-inch color LCD multifunction plan position indicator (PPI). The weapons control computer (WCC) is a new ultra-large scale integration (VLSIC) 32K parallel digital computers, with fixed and floating point capabilities, there are 3 memory, both input and output devices and an external device interface, an officer and ywo soldiers are able to complete the entire engagement process, and through pre-programmed to self-test machine. The boards are all plug-in, repair and replacement is very convenient, improvement potential, degree of automation, better than the S-300 series.