HQ-22
China's medium/long-range surface-to-air missile system — a cheaper complement to the HQ-9, exported as the FK-3 and marking China’s first strategic SAM in Europe with its sale to Serbia.
A Chinese medium/long-range surface-to-air missile system designed as a lower-cost complement to the HQ-9, exported as the FK-3 and notably operated by Serbia — the first European customer for a Chinese strategic air-defense system.
Overview
The HQ-22 (Hongqi-22, export designation FK-3) is a medium/long-range, road-mobile surface-to-air missile system fielded by the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) and exported to Serbia. Developed as a more economical partner to the high-end HQ-9B, it fills the layer between medium-range systems and the longest-range area-defense batteries, engaging aircraft, cruise missiles, UAVs and helicopters. Its delivery to Serbia in 2022 via PLAAF Y-20 transports made it the first Chinese strategic SAM to enter service on the European continent, a shift that carries both air-defense and geopolitical weight.
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- Development
- Design & capabilities
- Variants
- Combat record / operational use
- Advantages
- Drawbacks / limitations
- Counterparts
- Outlook
- Key specifications
- Sources
- Analyst Section
- Procurement & contracts
- Suppliers & related companies
- Comparable systems — analyst view
- Analyst note