China shows dozen drone-killers in live-fire exercise

China’s state television has aired new footage revealing the People’s Liberation Army conducting a large-scale live-fire exercise featuring its new 8×8 Type 625 short-range air defense systems.

The drills, aimed at countering unmanned aerial vehicles, involved roughly a dozen of these gun-and-missile hybrid platforms.

Defense observer Jesus Roman shared the footage, which depicts Type 625 combat vehicles engaging aerial targets during what appears to be a coordinated training operation.

The Type 625 system is mounted on a high-mobility 8×8 chassis with a forward engine layout. Its main armament includes a six-barrel 25mm automatic cannon and a battery of four short-range surface-to-air missiles.

Target acquisition is conducted using an onboard radar system, with the option to receive external target designation from other platforms, enabling broader integration with existing air defense networks.

The design concept behind the Type 625 closely parallels the Soviet-era Tunguska and the Russian Pantsir systems, both of which combine radar-guided autocannons with missile launchers on a single mobile platform. China’s adaptation reflects an effort to refine that doctrine using modern fire control and targeting technologies.

The exercise underlined the Chinese military’s ongoing push to expand its low-altitude air defense capabilities, especially in response to the growing threat posed by UAVs on the modern battlefield. The drills were conducted under live-fire conditions and demonstrated rapid sensor-to-shooter response against aerial threats.

China has not disclosed the exact number of Type 625 units currently in service, nor did the state broadcaster provide details on when the system entered operational deployment. However, the platform’s repeated presence in televised exercises signals growing confidence in its combat readiness.