China deploys new medium-range surface-to-air missiles on frontline facing Taiwan

China appears to have deployed new medium-range surface-to-air missiles on its frontline facing Taiwan, Hong Kong's South China Morning Post reported Sunday.

China Central Television recently broadcast footage of the People's Liberation Army Eastern Theater Command's 73rd Group Army conducting its first operational evaluation and live-fire assessment of a new air defense system in the Gobi Desert in northwestern China.

The disclosure has drawn particular attention given that the 73rd Group Army serves as a vanguard unit that would lead amphibious operations on the front lines in any Taiwan Strait contingency. The group army's headquarters is in Xiamen, Fujian Province, which faces Kinmen Island — Taiwan's frontline outpost.

CCTV said the 73rd Group Army traveled thousands of kilometers from its base to a desert region in northwestern China to conduct a live-fire evaluation of the new missile system. During the test, a missile fired from a mobile launcher successfully struck a target approximately 50 kilometers away.

The broadcaster described the weapon only as a "new air defense system," but the official designation "HQ-16F" was visible on a nameplate in the released footage. The HQ-16F is the latest variant of the HQ-16 — China's flagship medium-range surface-to-air missile series, also known as the Hongqi-16.

Without specifying a location or place name, CCTV said the new air defense system had already been deployed in a "humid coastal area in the southeast," and that the training took place less than a month after the equipment was received. The broadcaster called it "the first live-fire combat training conducted in the unfamiliar desert environment after operational deployment."

Military Watch Magazine said the 73rd Group Army "is stationed in Fujian Province, adjacent to the Taiwan Strait, where the risk of conflict is high," and that "this geographic sensitivity is why it was selected as the deployment site for the HQ-16 missile."

The SCMP noted that while the HQ-16F's official specifications have not been released, its vertical-launch configuration suggests it could eventually be compatible with naval vessel vertical launch systems.

The paper also said the missile matches the appearance of the HQ-16FE, its export variant. According to available information, the export model can intercept fighter jets, tactical ballistic missiles and even supersonic cruise missiles, with a maximum range of 160 kilometers — four times that of the baseline model.

The SCMP added that the HQ-16FE's range is comparable to that of the American Patriot PAC-2, while its advanced electronics and missile defense capabilities are assessed to be on par with the PAC-3.

However, unlike the PAC-3's hit-to-kill approach — which destroys targets through direct impact — the HQ-16F uses a "directional warhead" that detonates a concentrated fragmentation blast near the target. It also carries an active electronically scanned array radar with a detection range of more than 250 kilometers, capable of tracking 12 targets simultaneously and engaging eight at the same time.

The missile features a distinctive aerodynamic design that eliminates the body fins found on earlier models, retaining only four tail fins. The SCMP said this reduces weight and drag to extend range, while thrust vector control technology enables precision strikes against maneuvering targets.