China Unveils HQ-20 Air Defence Missile System in First-Ever Public Test

China has showcased its HQ-20 air defence missile system in a public live-fire test for the very first time, signalling the system’s transition from development and parade display to operational readiness. The demonstration is seen as a significant milestone in China’s ongoing efforts to modernize its integrated air defence architecture.

The HQ-20, part of the “Hongqi” family of surface-to-air missile systems, is designed to counter a wide spectrum of aerial threats, including drones, combat aircraft, cruise missiles, and certain types of ballistic missiles. The system uses a vertical launch configuration, mounted on an 8×8 wheeled transporter-erector-launcher, each carrying eight sealed missile canisters. This layout allows for rapid deployment, high mobility, and quick multi-directional engagement.

According to defence experts, the HQ-20 fills a crucial gap between China’s medium-range and long-range air defence systems. Its guidance package reportedly combines inertial navigation and command updates during mid-course flight, followed by an active radar homing seeker to precisely track and intercept targets in the terminal phase. The missile is believed to operate effectively across a wide altitude spectrum, with the ability to engage low-flying threats as well as high-altitude targets.

The public test, which featured a complete firing sequence from elevation to missile launch, reflects China’s growing emphasis on showcasing credible, combat-ready capabilities rather than relying solely on parade displays. It also highlights the country’s push toward a distributed, networked air defence environment supported by early-warning radars, phased-array tracking systems and integrated command networks.

Military analysts note that adding the HQ-20 to China’s arsenal strengthens its multi-layered defence shield, reducing vulnerabilities and enhancing response options against modern aerial threats. The system is expected to complement other advanced interceptors already deployed across China’s strategic regions.

With this successful public demonstration, the HQ-20 is now positioned as a key component of China’s future air defence posture, reflecting both evolving threat perceptions and broader ambitions in airspace security.