The Ministry of National Defense of the People’s Republic of China has released new images of HQ-16 medium-range anti-aircraft missile firings.

The images show that the HQ-16 medium-range anti-aircraft missile is launched in a field training exercise staged by an army air-defense brigade under the PLA Eastern theater Command in northwest China’s desert area on July 25, 2017.

The exercise is aimed to elevate the brigade’s combat effectiveness in operations against the ultra-low flying target and target flying at a huge distance

The is a newest Chinese medium-range air defense missile system developed by China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC).  In Chinese armed forces the HQ-16 fits the gap between the short-range HQ-7 and medium- to long rande HQ-9. This air defense system is mainly used to protect stationary assets such as airfields, command posts, concentration of troops, bridges, and other important targets.

According to the Jane’s Defence Weekly, 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.