1 photo

Air defense system

China

China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation

HQ-19

China's exo-atmospheric ballistic missile defense system, roughly analogous in role to the U.S. THAAD, intended to intercept medium-range ballistic missiles in their terminal or midcourse phase. Development has been publicly confirmed through flight tests but detailed specifications remain closely held.

In service since 2017 · 1 operator countries

Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02

3,000

km range

150,000

m altitude

4,000

km radar

Several performance figures for China-origin systems are manufacturer or state claims with limited independent verification. Treat these specs as directional, not tested values.

Pricing: Unit cost not publicly disclosed

Procurement snapshot

Availability & export

Chinese state channel

State export agencies (NORINCO/CATIC); limited availability to Western-aligned states.

Channel: State export agency

Fielded & proven

Limited · 1 operator

In service since 2017. Status: active.

Lifecycle cost (est.)

No public unit price to model from. Why so few systems publish one →

Interoperability

No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.

Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.

Full specifications

Performance

Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.

Performance specifications
Max speed (Mach) Maximum speed as a multiple of the speed of sound. Mach 2+ is typical for air-superiority fighters.	29 Mach Top 1% of air-defense systems
Engagement range Maximum distance at which an air-defense system can intercept targets. Higher covers more airspace.	3,000 km Top 1% of air-defense systems
Engagement altitude Maximum target altitude the system can reach.	150,000 m Top 4% of air-defense systems

Firepower

Armament, payload and guidance.

Firepower specifications
Main armament Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type.	Exo-atmospheric hit-to-kill interceptor
Guidance How the weapon finds its target: inertial, GPS/GLONASS, active/semi-active radar, infrared, laser, TV, wire.	Inertial navigation, radar midcourse update, infrared terminal homing

Propulsion

Engine, power and fuel.

Propulsion specifications
Propulsion type Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet…	Two-stage, dual-pulsed solid rocket

Sensors & avionics

Radar, sensor suite and datalinks.

Sensors & avionics specifications
Radar Primary radar. AESA (active electronically scanned array) is the current state of the art.	Associated large phased-array early-warning and tracking radar
Radar range Published detection range against a typical fighter-sized target. Higher sees first.	4,000 km Top 1% of air-defense systems

Program

Cost, production scale and operators.

Program specifications
Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.	1 Stronger than 21% of air-defense systems

Specifications compiled from public China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.

Compare with rivals

See how it stacks up

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HQ-19 Skyranger 30

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View Skyranger 30 ↗

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HQ-19 Pantsir-S1

KBP Instrument Design Bureau Pantsir-S1

View Pantsir-S1 ↗

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HQ-19 Phalanx CIWS (Mk 15)

Raytheon (RTX) Phalanx CIWS (Mk 15)

View Phalanx CIWS (Mk 15) ↗

Head-to-head comparisons

HQ-19 vs

THAAD

Frequently asked questions

What is the engagement range of the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation HQ-19? +

The China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation HQ-19 has a maximum engagement range of 3,000 km.

What is the main armament of the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation HQ-19? +

The China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation HQ-19's primary weapon is the Exo-atmospheric hit-to-kill interceptor.

What is the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation HQ-19 used for? +

The China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation HQ-19 is a air defense system typically used for air defense.

How many countries operate the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation HQ-19? +

The China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation HQ-19 is operated by 1 countries.

How much does the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation HQ-19 cost? +

China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation HQ-19: Unit cost not publicly disclosed. Defense program costs are rarely fully public and vary by contract and configuration.