Air defense missile knowledge can be very esoteric.
So here's a thread detailing the capabilities of PLA's major air defense systems.🧵
**This database isn't the normally advertised numbers, the data we've compiled take into account of intercept geometries and their roles.
HQ-9B
🔹Effective range: ~300km
🔹Flight Ceiling: ~30km
🔹Average speed: Mach 4.5+
🔹Mission profile: Long range air defense against aircraft, with some capabilities against short and medium range ballistic missiles in their terminal flight.
Compared to the HQ-9C listed below⬇️; The HQ-9B has a more sustained power flight path, but slower speed, making them very good against maneuvering targets like aircraft.
HQ-9C
🔹Effective range: ~250km
🔹Flight ceiling: ~50km
🔹Average speed: Mach 8+
🔹Mission profile: High-altitude, long range air defense with enhanced capabilities against tactical ballistic missiles.
The missile's slightly slimmer profile compared to HQ-9B gives the C variant much higher speed and longer unpowered cruising range.
The HQ-9C has an estimated burnout velocity of Mach 9.5+, which means it flies fast and burns out quickly, making them less effective against maneuvering aircraft than the B variant, but much more effective against fast moving missiles.
With the introduction of the diesel-electric hybrid tank by China; The ZTZ-100, we now can have sci-fi systems like:
♦️Electromagnetic armor (EFA)
♦️Electrothermal Chemical Gun (ETC gun)
Detailed thread on the future of land/armored warfare developed by China.
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The Type-100 family is made up of serval platforms, including the ZTZ-100 tank and the ZBD-100 fire support vehicle and they are only the start.
There will also be a 50 ton class heavy main battle tank with 125mm electrothermal chemical(ETC) gun with electromagnetic armor (EFA)
We will also have a long range fire support vehicle with vertical launch systems (VLS), capable of storing 20+ long range (10km+) heavy anti-tank missiles.
They together create a network of systems on land, capable of first detection, first shot and first kill.
A thread detailing the speed, range and trajectory of China's anti-ship hypersonic missiles.
Our potential enemies have no way of intercepting these missiles, so it's only fair to let them know, how their billion dollar ship will be destroyed.
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How China's 4th gen tank exemplifies the differences in force design between China and the US?🧵1/8
The US military has global projection needs, their weapons are not specialized to do certain tasks in certain regions against certain enemies. It's a case of jack of all trade.
Meanwhile, China's ZTZ-201 light MBT is specifically designed to fight in Taiwan and the Himalayas.
Taiwan's useful terrain is very flat, dotted with cities and towns that are less than 2km apart.
Hence engagement even for armored/mechanized forces will be that 2km dash over farmlands then into cities.
Short engagements between tanks, if it ever happens, will be from covered position shooting at each other.
This means drones and sensor networks are more important than pure mass in armor.
Comprehensive minute-by-minute illustrative thread, on how the Chinese aircraft carrier Fujian conducts cyclical attack operation.
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The optimal air wing composition:
⏺️24x J-35(green & red), divided into 2 attack waves of 12 each.
⏺️24x J-15T (blue & purple), divided into 2 attack waves of 12 each.
⏺️4x J-15D electronic warfare fighter (orange).
⏺️4x J-600 AEW&C (light blue).
⏺️~10 helicopters (black) for anti-submarine, search and rescue missions.
Cyclical operations are the most common attack mode of aircraft carriers, they divide the carrier airwing into attack waves and launch them with intervals in between.
This allows sustained operation for a long periods of time.
🔹Wave 1 (green J-35 stealth fighters) takes 12 minutes to launch 12x J-35, + 2 min to launch 1x KJ-600 (light blue) + 1 min to launch 2x J-15D EW fighter (orange).
= 15 minutes.
**Catapults can launch aircraft with 30 second intervals.
A comprehensive thread about Chinese aircraft carrier operations.
How do we compare to the US aircraft carrier operations?
For the PLA navy, there are 2 main types of carrier attacks:
🔹Full-deck strike (Full deck sortie).
🔹Cyclical operation.
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Full-deck strike is when we launch all fighters in a single strike package.
Cyclical operation is when we divide the fighters into attack waves, and launch them sequentially.
Full-deck strike is used when you want overwhelming firepower delivered in the initial phase of combat.
However, full-deck strike cannot be sustained for long, since all the fighters would need to land in a short span of time, which puts immense pressure on the deck crew to rearm and refuel.