Serbia Now Has One of Europe’s Top Surface to Air Missile Networks: Chinese HQ-22 Becomes Fully Operational

<p >The Serbian Defence Ministry on January 2 announced that Chinese HQ-22 medium range air defence systems are now fully operational, with the new assets seen by senior officers to have revolutionised the ability of the country’s armed forces to protect national airspace. Chinese Y-20 heavy airlifters <a href=" >transported</a> the first of the missile systems to Serbia in early April, 2022, less than two years after Serbia was <a href=" >confirmed</a> to have ordered them. The acquisition faced considerable opposition from Serbia’s European neighbours and from the United States, although procuring the HQ-22 was seen to be a less politically contentious alternative to <a href=" target="_blank">prior plans to acquire</a> Russian S-300 or S-400 systems. Commenting on the operationalisation of the systems, the Defence Ministry observed: “By arming the Air Force and Air Defence with the new FK-3 [HQ-22] air defence missile system, the airspace control and protection system has been significantly improved in the Republic of Serbia.”</p><p ><img src=" title="Missile Launcher From Serbian HQ-22 System"></p><p >Elaborating on the operationalising of the system, Commander of an HQ-22 unit Captain 1st Class Stefan Manic observed that it was a ”milestone in air defence systems” for the country. He emphasised that the Chinese system’s anti-jamming capabilities, and its sophisticated ability to counter enemy anti-radiation missiles, placed its effectiveness and survivability levels at the cutting edge. The commander further noted that the HQ-22’s extensive countermeasures against electronic warfare were particularly important in modern conflicts. He added that the HQ-22 retained exceptional fire control capabilities, allowing each system to simultaneously engage up to six targets with up to twelve missiles, which was valuable in saturated threat environments. Serbia’s HQ-22s are networked with lower tier air defence systems including modernised Soviet S-125s and new Russian Pantsir-S combat vehicles, which further optimise protection against saturation attacks using large volumes of drones or cruise missiles. While Serbia’s surface to air missile network was previously far from remarkable even by the standards of other European states, the introduction of the HQ-22 has transformed its network into one of the most formidable on the continent. </p><p ><img src=" title="Yugoslav Capital Belgrade Under NATO Bombardment in 1999"></p><p >The HQ-22 is capable of engaging almost all kinds of aircraft, as well as cruise and ballistic missiles traveling at speeds of up to Mach 3, and at altitudes of up to 27 kilometres. The engagement range of the missiles for the system procured by Serbia is reportedly 100 kilometres. Upon the first delivery of the systems, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic observed that they provided “powerful deterrent” against potential attackers. “We will no longer allow to be a punching bag for anyone,” the president said at the time, in apparent reference to a 78 day bombing campaign carried out by NATO in 1999 against Yugoslavia. Historical memory of the bombings, which included <a href=" >use</a> of highly toxic depleted uranium against civilian areas and strikes on <a href=" >media buildings</a> and <a href=" >outdoor markets</a>, is thought to have led Serbia to place a strong emphasis on air defence despite its limited defence budget. While Serbia was previously expected to complement its HQ-22s with modern fighter aircraft from China or Russia, such as the J-10C, its decision to procure French Rafale fighters will increase the burden on these air defence systems to protect national airspace. Rafales will be <a href=" target="_blank" >delivered without </a>their primary air-to-air weapon, the Meteor, while detailed Western knowledge of how the aircraft work will ensure their viability to defend against possible Western Bloc attacks will be highly limited. </p>