PLA Anti-Air Missile (SAM) systems
- Thread starter FORBIN
- Start date
by78
General
A preview of some of the SAM systems to be shown at Zhuhai.
FB-6C low-altitude SAM (6km range):
FB-10A low-altitude SAM system (for light mobility and mountain troops, 18km range):
LY-70 low-to-medium range SAM system. Detect-track range of 70km, intercept range of 40km. Capable of point or networked defense. Standard deployment configuration is composed of two radar/command vehicles with four launcher vehicles:
FN-16 MANPAD with 6km range:
LY-80 medium-range SAM (70km range):
FB-6C low-altitude SAM (6km range):
FB-10A low-altitude SAM system (for light mobility and mountain troops, 18km range):
LY-70 low-to-medium range SAM system. Detect-track range of 70km, intercept range of 40km. Capable of point or networked defense. Standard deployment configuration is composed of two radar/command vehicles with four launcher vehicles:
FN-16 MANPAD with 6km range:
LY-80 medium-range SAM (70km range):
Quad-pack this thing onto 052Ds, and you have a Sino-ESSM (but 10 km short of the US ESSM).
Hope we would see actual missile models for fb10a and ly70 systems. Launchers on both seem peculiar. 18 km range for a pretty narrow missile container? And the ly70 one is even more extreme in that regard for its 40 km range.
I have a feeling those can be achieved only with Pantsir missile style approach.
Basically a big long booster pushing a thin dart, using command guidance only.
Such SAMs usually leave a lot to be desired against fast and demanding targets.
And what's up with manpad missiles on top of bigger ones for ly70? Looks a bit jury rigged.
I have a feeling those can be achieved only with Pantsir missile style approach.
Basically a big long booster pushing a thin dart, using command guidance only.
Such SAMs usually leave a lot to be desired against fast and demanding targets.
And what's up with manpad missiles on top of bigger ones for ly70? Looks a bit jury rigged.
by78
General
This particular model looks new, but I don't know if it's been considered by the PLA. I'm a little surprised that we haven't seen a low-altitude air defense variant of the Mengshi-III in service, since PLA doctrine calls for mobile air defense, if I recall correctly.
Last edited:
That was the first thing I thought of lol, but then I have doubts about it's performance, considering we haven't heard anything about it before (unless it's the rumoured 555 missile)
Do they really need anything for ranges shorter than the HQ-17's? I assumed that range would basically be covered by manpads
Looks like this FB-10A is using a previously unheard/ unseen new missile unlike the FB-6C vehicle using FN-16 missiles. For mobile air defence the PLA has both HQ-7 and HQ-17. These two are basically the same range as the FB-10A but are not on Mengshi vehicles. It would seem the missile on FB-10A must be at least light enough to offer no serious mobility compromise but that seems to me like an unnecessary number of 10km to 20km range mobile SAMs.
The FB-6C could have a better place but the PLA doesn't exactly lack manpower for those FN-16s.
I'm assuming that since these are Mengshi mounted, there is some level of state backing for these two. Export oriented more than for PLA I'd imagine since they do fill rare but important niche roles. Especially FB-10A since potential customers also don't seem to lack manpower and could simply use FN-16s as manpads. Having said that, many typical customers already own HQ-7 missiles and if they like it and are looking for upgrades, HQ-7A is available even if HQ-17 isn't.
Short-range point defense SAM. I forgot the designation.
Damun. A Sino-Pantsyr.