China fields new short-range air defense system
The Chinese People’s Liberation Army Ground Force (PLAGF) has begun fielding a new short-range air defense system, believed to be designated HQ-13, as part of a modernization effort to equip frontline units with mobile, autonomous interception capabilities.
Footage released by CCTV shows the system in operational use by an air defense company assigned to the 72nd Group Army. Mounted on a Dongfeng Mengshi 6×6 armored vehicle, the HQ-13 platform integrates FB-10A missiles, radar, fire control, and launch capabilities in a single vehicle.
According to observers, it is designed to accompany medium and light combined arms brigades, providing point air defense against low-flying threats.
The system, believed to have a maximum engagement range of 18 kilometers, is tasked with intercepting helicopters, drones, cruise missiles, and fixed-wing aircraft. Its modular architecture allows it to function either independently or as part of a larger networked air defense formation.
Chinese military sources say the HQ-13 system is intended to enhance the survivability of maneuver elements and critical infrastructure against increasingly complex aerial threats. Each vehicle operates as a complete fire-control unit capable of autonomous engagement decisions, which simplifies deployment and minimizes logistical burden in dispersed operations.
While the HQ-13 is currently entering service with the PLAGF, earlier sightings of its export variant—the FB-10A—have drawn international attention. In February 2025, the United Arab Emirates reportedly brokered a deal for the supply of FB-10A systems from China to Chad. However, the systems did not enter Chadian military service.
According to the open-source monitoring group Clash Report, one of the FB-10A units was ultimately diverted and fell into the hands of Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group involved in ongoing conflict in the region.
