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J-201 / J-202 [3M6 AT-1]

In November 1960, the Artillery Science and Technology Institute began to develop anti-tank missiles. February 1962 approved by the National Defense Science and Technology Commission, anti-tank missile development officially launched, code-named "J-201".

In 1962, the research and development of a new type of munition was initiated. During this period, the manual control principle, gunpowder charge, guiding wire setting and uninterrupted line problems were overcome, and the countermeasures were completed in 1973. For the development of tank missiles, this type of missile was officially named J-201 anti-tank missile.

November 1963, the National Defense Science and Technology Commission formally approved as a national project. Chief designer is Wang Changren, deputy chief designer is Cao Zhai, Zhao Jiazheng, Zhu Dan Dan. Since China's anti-tank missile development had just started, it did not include anti-tank missiles from the Soviet Union. But China had access to West Germany's COBRA ATGM missile technology service guide. With its structure and performance parameters as the main reference to the overall program, which is J-201 anti-tank missiles resemble "Cobra" anti-tank missiles. In 1963, Cao Gangchuan and so on from the Soviet Union Leningrad artillery engineering college graduate, brought back the Soviet Union 3M6 (AT-1) anti-tank missile teaching materials and instructions for understanding the anti-tank missile principle, structure and the use of cable-guided program.

ATGM J-201 testing began in 1964, but slowed down significantly due to the onset of the "Cultural Revolution". December 18, 1964, the first controlled flight test. September 14, 1969 the "823 Battle" command decided that J-201 anti-tank missiles in improving the operation, hit rate increased to 70% or more, can produce a small batch of troops to use, and required at the end of 1969 to complete the design stereotypes. In December 1969 the design of stereotypes began, in May 1970 to complete the additional stereotypes test, reached the tactical technical indicators, armor power at 65 degrees when the 120 mm, a range of 400-2000 meters. In 1971 three military areas of the troops trials began. In January 1973, the General Staff and the General Assembly jointly approved the design and finalization for production. In 1973 an attempt was made to start mass production. But due to economic difficulties and the decline in production culture, a very limited number of anti-tank systems were launched, and their reliability left a lot to be desired.

After the troops trials, it was decided to modify the development of known as the "J-202" improved type. However, the performance of this missile was obviously lagging behind the major anti-tank missiles in the world at the same time. It still used visual tracking and manual control. It had many shortcomings, such as small armor thickness penetration, poor accuracy, long exposure time for operators, and difficult control.

The improved modification of the J-202 was put into testing in 1977. The missile could hit targets at a range of 200-2000 m, the armor penetration in the normal range was 470 mm. But, like the first model, the J-202 ATGM was not very reliable. So, during the acceptance tests, one of the missiles, after being launched, turned 180 ° in the air and, without exploding, fell next to the selection committee. Although no one was injured, this incident left a very negative impression on the PLA's senior leadership and party officials. Like the previous model, the J-202 ATGM was not transferred to mass production. After the test was completed, the missile was extremely unsatisfactory. It was required to develop an improved version of J-202.

In the early 1970s, when the J201/202 missiles self-developed by the People's Liberation Army failed to meet the standard of use, they turned to seek to imitate mature Soviet missiles. In order to quickly form combat effectiveness. Responding to the Soviet threat, with the help of relevant departments, the Fifth Machinery Department decided that the Beijing Institute of Technology and the Artillery Technology Research Institute would take the lead to imitate the Soviet-made AT-3 anti-tank missiles obtained from special channels. This was later known as the "Hongjian-73" Anti-tank missile.

The new J-202 model was discontinued after the successful development of the Red Arrow-73. The missile is not included in the Chinese military equipment, there is no mass production. The main reason is that when the J-201 prototypes were tested, the "Red Arrow" -73 anti-tank missiles (imitation of the Soviet Union "SEG" anti-tank missiles) project had been launched. The "Red Arrow" -73 performance and technical level prevailed in the competition.

Although the J-201/202 anti-tank missile was not put into mass production, as China's first-generation anti-tank missile, Chinese military workers have formally accumulated enough experience through it. In the early 1980s, all J-265, J-201 and J-202 anti-tank systems were withdrawn from service.