The China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC) has developed a new variant of its HQ-16 (Red Flag-16) self-propelled medium-range surface-to-air missile (SAM), according to imagery released by Chinese state television in early September.
The new variant (referred to by some as the HQ-16B) appears to have an improved rocket motor and revised wings, which sources say increase the missile's range to 70 km, up from the 40 km credited to the HQ-16, in service with the air defence units of the People's Liberation Army Ground Force (PLAGF).
In late September/early October 2011 official Chinese media reported that co-development between Russia and China of the HQ-16 had been completed and that the missile had reached operational capability within the Chinese army. It is understood that development within China commenced as early as 2005.
The HQ-16 SAM is similar to the 9M38E series of export missiles that form part of the Russian Almaz-Antey Shtil systems China purchased for use on its Sovremenny-class (Project 956E/956EM) and Type 052B destroyers.
But the HQ-16 would also seem to have some aspects of the vertically launched 9M317M, never supplied to China as far as can be ascertained. In its naval guise, the HQ-16 is known as the HHQ-16 (Red Sea-16). The HQ-16 is also referred to as the HQ-16A.
Almaz-Antey reportedly provided missile technology to aid China's development of the HQ-16, as it did with the HQ-9 SAM system, which is analogous to Almaz-Antey's S-300 SAM.
The HQ-16 has reportedly been delivered to the Shenyang Military Region.
http://www.janes.com/article/63500/china-develops-longer-range-hq-16-sam-variant
