An official media report on Saturday unveiled a new type of vehicle-mounted air defense missile system deployed by the 72nd Group Army of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA), with an expert saying that the new missile system is highly mobile and capable of providing air defense support for motorized troops on the move.
In a story about an air defense company under a brigade affiliated with the 72nd Group Army, the military channel of China Central Television (CCTV) on Saturday reported that this unit has recently been equipped with multiple new types of weapons and equipment.
To ensure the new equipment could achieve its desired results in its first live-fire test, the troops held more than 30 simulated launches, eventually leading to a successful maiden test launch, CCTV said.
The CCTV report showed that the new equipment is a type of air defense missile system mounted on a Dongfeng Mengshi all-terrain wheeled tactical vehicle. Each vehicle is equipped with what seems to be a rotating radar apparatus, and two missile launchers are fixed on racks on the top of the vehicle, according to the report footage. It also showed the moment a missile is launched.
The CCTV report did not disclose further details about the missile, such as its designation or performance parameters.
Song Zhongping, a Chinese military affairs expert, told the Global Times that the baseline version of the Dongfeng Mengshi vehicle is a utility platform that can equip many types of weapons and equipment. He noted that the vehicle can quickly maneuver through all types of complex terrains, bringing high mobility and flexibility to anything it carries.
At the V-Day military parade in Beijing on September 3, China unveiled six types of air defense and antiballistic missile equipment, the HQ-11, HQ-20, HQ-22A, HQ-9C, HQ-19 and HQ-29. They can carry out long-range, medium range, and short-range air defense missions and multiple course, multi-layer antiballistic missile interception, building a solid barrier for air and aerospace defense, safeguarding the peace and stability of the country.
Song said that the newly unveiled vehicle-mounted air defense missile system could serve as a valuable addition to this arsenal of air defense systems, as it could provide air defense on the move.
Song said that this highly maneuverable air defense missile system can accompany light motorized forces on the move, providing continuous air defense coverage throughout their operations.
In recent years, to maximize the operational efficiency of new equipment as quickly as possible, the company has established eight specialized teams focusing on detection, missile assembly, loading, and target acquisition, among other areas. These teams have developed over 10 air defense tactics and training methods, including short-range strikes, deceptive deployments, and rapid engagement-and-withdrawal strategies, CCTV reported.
Through deep integration with reconnaissance, early warning, intelligence gathering, and firepower systems, the company has achieved the capability of destruction-on-detection, becoming a dominant aerial hunter in the southeastern coastal, according to the CCTV report.
