• Military

• WMD Menu                           

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

HQ-9 air defense missile reportedly displayed at Azerbaijani parade; Chinese-made equipment wins international recognition through performance: expert

Global Times

By Liu Xuanzun and Liang Rui Published: Nov 09, 2025 12:48 PM

The HQ-9 air defense missile was displayed at an Azerbaijani military parade on Saturday, according to Azerbaijani media reports. With other Chinese-made equipment such as the HQ-22 and HQ-17AE air defense missiles having also been showcased at a recent Serbian military parade, a Chinese expert said on Sunday that Chinese-made equipment is winning international recognition through their performance.

At the military parade held at Azadlig Square in Baku, Azerbaijan, the HQ-9 long-range anti-aircraft missile system newly accepted into armament was showcased before the grandstand, the Azerbaijan State News Agency AZERTAC reported on Saturday.

A video released by Baku TV showed that HQ-9BE transporter erector launcher vehicles participated in the military parade.

Developed by China, the HQ-9BE long-range air defense system made its debut at Airshow China 2021, the military channel of China Central Television (CCTV) reported at the time.

The Chinese side has not made announcements regarding Azerbaijan's acquisition of the HQ-9 missile system as of press time.

At Airshow China 2024, Wang Wengang, a spokesperson at the Second Academy of the state-owned China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation Limited (CASIC) told the China Military Bugle, an official media account affiliated with the PLA News Media Center, that the HQ-9BE is a globally advanced long-range air defense missile system capable of intercepting high value targets such as stealth aircraft and tactical ballistic missiles.

It can take up missions of homeland air defense and field air defense, forming a multi-layered air defense system by commanding other types of medium- and short-range air defense missiles, Wang Wengang said, highlighting the HQ-9BE's advantages, including adaptability to both anti-aircraft and anti-missile missions, large operational airspace, strong multi-target anti-saturation attack capability and operational simplicity.

In addition to the HQ-9BE, the JF-17 fighter jets jointly developed and manufactured by China and Pakistan also participated in the Azerbaijani military parade, with the AZERTAC report saying that a formation of five newly inducted JF-17 fighter jets joined the aviation demonstration in V-shaped formation.

Ahead of the event, Pakistan's Information Minister Attaullah Tarar on Saturday said that Pakistani troops and JF-17 Thunder fighter jets would appear in Azerbaijan's parade scheduled for later that day, Pakistani media outlet Dawn reported on Saturday. In September 2024, Pakistan's military said that the country had signed a contract to sell JF-17 Block III fighter jets to Azerbaijan, Reuters reported at the time.

The HQ-9BE and the JF-17 are not the only Chinese-made equipment that have recently been showcased at a foreign military parade. The Chinese-made HQ-22 surface-to-air missile system and the HQ-17 air defense missile system made an appearance at a Serbian military parade in September, CCTV News reported at the time.

Wang Ya'nan, chief editor of Aerospace Knowledge magazine, told the Global Times on Sunday that Chinese air defense and aviation equipment is winning wide international recognition.

A key factor is the performance of the Chinese-made equipment. In the case of the HQ-9BE, it not only has long-range anti-aircraft capability, but also a certain level of ballistic missile defense capability, making it a powerful air defense missile system. Their actual performance also boosted the international interest in Chinese equipment overall, Wang Ya'nan said.

When asked about the topic of foreign procurement of Chinese military equipment, Zhang Xiaogang, a Chinese Defense Ministry spokesperson, said at a regular press conference in October that the Chinese side takes a prudent and responsible attitude towards export of military products. He said, "We are willing to share the latest achievements of equipment modernization with peace-loving countries, and jointly maintain peace and stability of the region and beyond."