HQ-22

The HQ-22 is a medium- to long-range semi-active radar homing/radio-command guidance air defence system developed and manufactured in China.

Description
The HQ-22 air defence system is a second generation development of the HQ-12 missile. It is intended as a low-cost replacement for the HQ-2.

The missile is "wingless" compared to the preceding HQ-12. The missile uses semi-active radar guidance to reduce cost, and may switch to radio command guidance in an environment with "strong electronic interference".

A HQ-22 unit includes four to eight transporter erector launchers, each with four missiles. The radar vehicle reportedly permits six targets to be engaged simultaneously.

The missile system has been widely compared to the United States' Patriot and Russia's mobile long range S-300 surface-to-air missile system. Although it has a shorter range than S-300 variants such as the S-300PMU-2, it is thought to benefit from superior electronic countermeasures (ECM) and superior capabilities against stealth targets at shorter ranges.

Variants

 * HQ-22: Chinese domestic variant with speed of Mach 6 and a range of 170 km.
 * FK-3: Export variant with speed of Mach 6 and a maximum range of 100 km.

History
The HQ-22 was publicly revealed at the 2016 China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition.

The HQ-22 entered service with the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) by 2019.

Serbia purchased the FK-3, the export variant, in 2019; they were delivered by PLAAF Xi'an Y-20 transport aircraft and entered service in April 2022. They were the first Chinese medium- or long-range air defence system exported to Europe.

In April 2021, India reported that China had deployed the HQ-22 near eastern Ladakh.

Operators

 * People's Liberation Army Air Force - 130+ HQ-22
 * 🇷🇸 Serbia
 * Serbian Air Force and Air Defence - 4 batteries FK-3
 * 🇹🇭 Thailand
 * Air and Coastal Defense Command - 3 batteries FK-3
 * 🇲🇲 Myanmar
 * 🇲🇲 Myanmar


 * Myanmar Army - unknown number of FK-3s in service