Air Defense
HQ-16
The HQ-16 is a medium-range surface-to-air missile system made by CASIC and Hongqi in China, in service with the PLA since about 2011. Its export version is the LY-80 and its naval version, the HHQ-16, arms Type 054A frigates and Type 052D destroyers.
China|China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC) & HongqiWhat Is the HQ-16? Overview, History and Development
The HQ-16 is reportedly derived from Russian Buk-M1-2 technology, although China has never stated its exact lineage. It entered People’s Liberation Army service around 2011. Commonly cited estimates give the missile a length of 5.2 m, a diameter of about 340 mm, a weight near 690 kg, a 70 kg warhead and a speed of Mach 3. A battery includes a 3D phased-array radar, a command vehicle and up to six launchers with six canistered missiles each.
The HQ-16B raised range to about 70 km, and the HQ-16C and HQ-16FE are later improved versions, all with estimated figures. Batteries are widely deployed in China’s eastern theatre, reportedly near the Taiwan Strait and on South China Sea islands, though numbers are not public. Pakistan operates the LY-80 on land and the HHQ-16 on its Type 054A/P frigates. No Arab buyer has been confirmed. It is usually compared with the Buk and the KM-SAM Cheongung.
HQ-16 Specifications: Range, Altitude, Missiles and Radar
HQ-16 Variants and Versions Compared
The initial land-based version in PLA service since about 2011.
An improved variant with a longer range of about 70 km, according to estimates.
Later upgraded versions, including the export-oriented HQ-16FE, with improved sensors and missiles.
Which Countries Use the HQ-16? Operators and Users
China
PakistanHQ-16 FAQ: Price, Range, Operators and Most Asked Questions
How much does the HQ-16 cost?
The HQ-16 has no official price. China does not publish costs, and the only known export user, Pakistan, has not disclosed contract values. Medium-range systems of this class typically cost tens of millions of dollars per battery.
What is the range of the HQ-16?
The HQ-16 has a range of about 40 km, while the HQ-16B extends this to roughly 70 km, according to estimates. The missile reaches altitudes of about 15 km and flies at around Mach 3.
Which countries have the HQ-16?
The HQ-16 is operated by China, and its export version, the LY-80, is used by Pakistan’s army. Pakistan’s navy also uses the naval HHQ-16 on its Type 054A/P frigates. No Arab buyer of the LY-80 has been confirmed.
HQ-16 vs KM-SAM Cheongung: which is better?
The HQ-16 and KM-SAM Cheongung are in the same medium-range class: the HQ-16B is credited with about 70 km against 40–50 km for Cheongung. Exact performance is unverified for both, and Cheongung has export deals with Gulf states.
Is the HQ-16 based on the Russian Buk?
The HQ-16 is reportedly derived from Russian Buk-M1-2 (SA-17) technology, but China has never officially confirmed this. The system was developed by Chinese institutes under CASIC, and its exact lineage is not publicly stated.
Did Türkiye consider Chinese air defence systems?
Türkiye selected China’s FD-2000, the export version of the HQ-9, in 2013 but cancelled the deal, not the HQ-16. It now builds its own HİSAR-O+ and SİPER systems.