Recently, Serbia purchased the Hongqi-17AE anti-aircraft missile from China, which is also the second Chinese-made high-value air defense system disclosed by the Serbian side.
(Serbia imported Hongqi-17AE anti-aircraft missile launcher from China)
Hongqi-17A is a new generation of field air defense system developed by China, which belongs to the Hongqi-17 series, which is mainly used for medium and low-altitude defense, the difference is that a 4X6 wheeled chassis is used, and Hongqi-17AE is the export model of Hongqi-17A. The outside world believes that Serbia has introduced the Hongqi-17AE air defense system for two purposes, one is for field accompanying air defense, and the other is to use it in conjunction with the previously purchased FK-3 air defense missiles to form a more complete air defense system.
According to the Serbian media, the Hongqi-17AE air defense system adopts a "three-in-one configuration", and one launch vehicle is equipped with a search radar, a tracking and guidance radar, an optoelectronic system and a fire control system, which can not only independently perform combat missions, but also receive information from the C4ISR system and access to the air defense network for joint operations.
The launcher of the Hongqi-17AE air defense system can operate independently, is equipped with 8 vertically launched anti-aircraft missiles, and has omnidirectional interception capabilities. The common tactic of modern air raids is to carry out saturation attacks from different directions, so the air defense system that undertakes the terminal defense is required to have omnidirectional interception capabilities in order to deal with simultaneous attacks on air targets from different directions.
(Hongqi-17A is a new generation of Chinese anti-aircraft missile system)
The Hongqi-17AE air defense system is equipped with an advanced active phased array radar, which has stronger multi-target capabilities, it can guide 4 missiles to attack 4 incoming targets at the same time, and has a strong anti-saturation attack capability.
The Hongqi-17AE air defense system reacts quickly, and it takes only 3 minutes to switch from a driving state to a combat state. Under the state of missile preparation, it takes only 3 seconds to complete the automatic completion from the detection of the target to the launch of the anti-aircraft missile, and it has the ability to resist high-speed air attack targets, and the maximum speed of the intercepted target reaches Mach 3.
(AGM-179 Joint Air-to-Surface Missile)
The Hongqi-17AE air defense system also has a relatively long range, with a maximum interception range of 15 km and a maximum launch altitude of 8 km. This data means that it can counter today's most advanced airborne anti-tank missiles, such as the US Army's AGM-179 Joint Air-to-Surface Missile (JAGM).
When the AGM-179 is launched from a helicopter, it has a maximum range of 16 km. The range of the Hongqi-17AE is essentially capable of covering the launch envelope of the AGM-179 missile, providing adequate anti-aircraft cover for armored forces.
From here we can see that the overall performance of the Hongqi-17AE air defense system meets or even exceeds the Russian Dauer M2 air defense system. This is also the main reason for Serbia's purchase of the Hongqi-17AE air defense system.
(The performance of Hongqi 17A has surpassed that of Russia's Dowl M2)
The Serbian air defense system is already outdated, and now it is the Soviet S-125 anti-aircraft missile that is responsible for the defense at medium and low altitudes, which was developed by the Soviet Union in the 50s and has been more than 70 years old. The performance of the Hongqi-17AE air defense system is much more advanced than that of the S-125, and the missile can effectively improve the combat capability of the Serbian air defense system after it is installed.
Another very important point is that the Hongqi-17AE is equipped with a data link, which can be integrated into the integrated air defense system to form a complete air defense system, realize the overall enemy and improve the interception capability. Serbia has previously purchased Chinese FK-3 medium- and long-range anti-aircraft missiles, which have a maximum range of 120 kilometers and are capable of multi-target interception.
(FK-3 anti-aircraft missiles purchased by Serbia from China)
Now the FK-3 anti-aircraft missile is in service and has become the main force and backbone of the Serbian air defense system. However, there is a near-range interception range of medium- and long-range anti-aircraft missiles, for example, the interception perimeter of Patriot anti-aircraft missiles is about 5 kilometers. If the target breaks through to this distance, the missile is powerless, so that medium and long-range anti-aircraft missiles need medium and short-range anti-aircraft missile cover.
Therefore, an important task of Serbia's Hongqi-17AE anti-aircraft missile is to protect the FK-3 medium and long-range anti-aircraft missile, and generally speaking, one FK-3 anti-aircraft missile system needs at least two Hongqi-17AE anti-aircraft missile launchers to provide protection.
This brings us to another issue, and that is system compatibility. FK-3, as a Chinese air defense system, naturally needs a Chinese data link. The Hongqi-17AE air defense system also uses China's data link, so that there are no technical barriers to the interconnection between the two.
(FK-3 air defense positions in Serbia)
In fact, the FK-3 air defense missile system uses the concept of "integrated air defense system", which is capable of commanding other systems, including the Hongqi-17AE, to achieve an integrated air defense system, which will further enhance the defense capabilities of the system.
If Serbia buys the Dowl M2, the Dowl M2 uses the Russian data link, so that there is a problem of data link interconnection between the two sides, although it is easier for China and Russia to coordinate on this issue, but after all, it is a two-country system, which is not as smooth as the interconnection of a national system.
Of course, there is a deeper reason for Serbia's purchase of Hongqi-17AE anti-aircraft missiles, and that is the impact of the conflict in Ukraine. After the outbreak of the Ukrainian crisis, the West adopted a policy of blockade and containment against Russia, almost to the point of hysteria.
(Inside the Hongqi-17AE)
Serbia is traditionally pro-Russian, but they are surrounded by NATO and have to remain neutral in this war under strong pressure from the West. If Russian missiles are purchased at this time, they will definitely be treated maliciously by the West. Serbia is already under heavy pressure, overwhelmed and unwilling to bear any more pressure on this issue.
It was with these factors in mind that Serbia decided to purchase the Chinese Hongqi-17AE anti-aircraft missile system. It is difficult for relations between Russia and the West to be fundamentally improved in the short term, and it is wise for Serbia to abandon Russian weapons and turn to China, and this trend will become more and more obvious in the second phase.