According to a post published by the Serbian Journalist Peter Voinovich on his X account on June 27, 2024, the Serbian Armed Forces have taken delivery of the Chinese HQ-17AE Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) system. This acquisition marks another step in the growing defense relationship between Serbia and China, which has seen significant military cooperation and equipment transfers since 2019.
Serbia’s procurement of the HQ-17AE SAM system is part of a broader strategy to modernize its military capabilities and enhance its national defense. The HQ-17AE is an advanced air defense system renowned for its combat capabilities and technological sophistication. It features a highly mobile and versatile design, capable of detecting, tracking, and engaging various aerial threats, including aircraft, helicopters, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The system’s radar and missile technologies enable it to perform effectively in complex and contested environments, providing robust protection against potential aerial attacks.
The HQ-17AE is an all-weather, low to medium-altitude, short-range surface-to-air missile system. As reported by the state-owned Global Times newspaper on March 7, China has authorized the export of this variant of the HQ-17A road-mobile, short-range air-defense (SHORAD) system.
Developed by the Second Academy of the state-owned China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC), the 6×6 HQ-17AE is designed to provide air defense against precision-guided munitions such as cruise missiles, guided bombs, and air-to-surface missiles. It also targets traditional SHORAD threats including aircraft, helicopters, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
The HQ-17 missile resembles the Tor-M1, with a weight of approximately 165 kg, a length of about 2.9 meters, and a diameter of roughly 0.23 meters. It boasts a slant range for intercepting aerial targets from 1.5 km to 15 km, slightly longer than that of the Tor-M1, and operates at altitudes ranging from 10 meters to 10 km.
The missile guidance system utilizes semi-active radar homing, which is facilitated by the tracking radar, television sight, or thermal sight on the launch vehicle.