HongQi 7 or HQ-7, China SAM

The HongQi (Red Flag/Banner) 7 or HQ-7 (FM-80) is a short-range air defense missile. The missile is deployed on both ships and land-based vehicles. China revealed the export version, FM-80, in the 1989 Dubai Aerospace Show. Unit cost is around $162,000 per launcher and $24,500 per missile.

Versions

HQ-7 (FM-80) Land-based

The HQ-7 SAM is used by PLA and PLAAF for short-range air-defense. At some PLAAF bases, the HQ-7 is deployed in hardened shelters. The PLA has mounted the HQ-7 on towed trailers.

A typical land-based HQ-7 battalion consists of:

• 3 x Operational Sections
• 1 x Support / Maintenance Section

Each Operational Section consists of:

• 1 x Search Unit with:
  • E/F-band Doppler Search Radar (18.4 km range)
  • Target processing unit, can process 30 targets & track 12 targets simultaneously
  • Wired network to firing units
  • IFF & radio section
• 3 x Firing Units, each with:
  • Optical aiming system
  • 4 x 40 kW generators
  • 4-cel or 8-cel missile launcher
  • J-band tracking radar (17 km range)
  • TV tracking system (15 km range)
  • IR localiser
  • Target processing unit
  • Wired network
  • IFF & radio stations

Each Support/Maintenance Section consists of:

• 10 support vehicles
• Maintenance group

HQ-7 (FM-80) Self-Propelled

The 206th Institute has developed a 4x4 self-propelled version of the HQ-7. 4 x HQ-7 SAMs and a tracking radar system is mounted on a 4x4 vehicle, or towed vehicle.

HQ-7 (FM-80) Naval

The HQ-7 became PLAN's standard short-range air-defense SAM in the 1990s. Even the latest Type 054 Frigate uses the Naval version of HQ-7. The typical configuration is one 8-cel launcher, with stores of reload missiles in multiples of 8 (8, 16, 24). Earlier versions required manual re-loading, while the latest have an auto re-loader that can be retracted under the deck.

The Naval HQ-7 uses a Type 360S E/F-band Doppler radar with a detection range of 18.4 km, connected to the ZJK-4 (Thomson-CSF TAVITAC) combat management system. The system is capable of processing up to 30 targets, and tracking 12 targets simultaneously.

HQ-7A (FM-90)

In 1998, the China National Precision Machinery Import and Export Corp (CNPMIEC) produced an improved HQ-7 with faster and longer-range missiles, with an IR-tracking camera. This version received the export designation FM-90.

HQ-7 Specs

• Missile dimensions: (length) 3.00 m; (diameter) 0.156 m; (wingspan) 0.55 m
• Launch weight: 84.5 kg
• Operating altitude: 30~5,000 m (HQ-7/FM-80); 15~6,000 m (FM-90)
• Minimum operating range: 500 m (HQ-7/FM-80); 700 m (FM-90)
• Max operating range: HQ-7/FM-80 {8,600 m (400 m/s target); 10,000 m (300 m/s target); 12,000 m (slow flying targets)}; FM-90: 15,000 m to all targets
• Speed: Mach 2.3 (750 m/s)
• Guidance: Command + electro-optical tracking
• Warhead: HE-FRAG with proximity fuse
• Radar detecting range: 18.4 km (HQ-7/FM-80); 25 km (FM-90)
• Radar homing range: 17 km (HQ-7/FM-80); 20 km (FM-90)