SOURCE: AFI
Recent reports emerging from Chinese social media platforms indicate growing frustration in Pakistan over the underwhelming performance of Chinese-supplied HQ-9B and HQ-16 air defence systems, particularly in their inability to counter India’s BrahMos supersonic cruise missile. According to these sources, Pakistani officials have raised complaints with Chinese manufacturers, highlighting the systems’ failure to intercept high-speed, Mach 3-capable projectiles like the BrahMos, which retains its destructive power even in its terminal phase. The Chinese response, however, has reportedly been that these systems were not designed to neutralize such advanced missiles, further fueling Pakistan’s dissatisfaction with its primary defence supplier.
The controversy stems from the recent India-Pakistan skirmish, dubbed Operation Sindoor (May 7–10, 2025), during which India conducted precision strikes on terrorist sites and Pakistani military infrastructure in response to a terror attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 civilians. Indian forces deployed a range of advanced munitions, including the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile, which penetrated Pakistani airspace and struck targets with pinpoint accuracy. The BrahMos, a joint India-Russia venture, is renowned for its speed (approaching Mach 3), low-altitude flight, and ability to maintain lethality in its terminal phase, making it a formidable challenge for air defence systems.
Pakistan’s air defence network, heavily reliant on Chinese systems like the HQ-9B (long-range) and HQ-16 (medium-range), failed to detect or intercept these missiles, exposing critical vulnerabilities. Indian strikes, which included French-origin SCALP cruise missiles and Harop loitering munitions, reportedly neutralized key Pakistani airbases and a Chinese-supplied YLC-8E anti-stealth radar in Chunian, Punjab. The inability of the HQ-9B and HQ-16 to counter these attacks has sparked a wave of criticism, both within Pakistan and on Chinese social media.
According to posts circulating on Chinese social media, Pakistani military officials have expressed their grievances directly to Chinese manufacturers, accusing the HQ-9B and HQ-16 systems of underperforming in real-world combat scenarios. The HQ-9B, marketed as a rival to the US Patriot system with a range of 250–300 kilometers, and the HQ-16, designed to intercept low- to medium-altitude targets up to 40 kilometers, were touted as key components of Pakistan’s Comprehensive Layered Integrated Air Defence (CLIAD). However, during Operation Sindoor, these systems were either bypassed, jammed, or destroyed by Indian forces employing advanced electronic warfare (EW) tactics and precision-guided munitions.
Chinese netizens have reported that manufacturers responded by clarifying that the HQ-9B and HQ-16 were not designed to counter high-speed, low-altitude missiles like the BrahMos, which maintains its Mach 3 velocity through its terminal phase. Unlike conventional cruise missiles that may slow down or lose maneuverability, the BrahMos’s ramjet propulsion and flat trajectory make it exceptionally difficult to intercept. This explanation, however, has done little to assuage Pakistani concerns, with some officials reportedly feeling misled by China’s earlier claims of the systems’ capabilities.
Chinese social media reactions have been mixed. Some users have defended the systems, arguing that Pakistan’s operational inefficiencies and inadequate training are to blame, rather than inherent flaws in the hardware. One user commented, “The HQ-9 is a capable system, but it’s useless if the operators lack proper training.” Others have expressed frustration, noting that the systems’ failures have damaged China’s reputation as a reliable arms exporter. The backlash has been particularly sharp given that Pakistan accounts for nearly 82% of its defence imports from China, making it a critical market for Beijing’s arms industry.
The HQ-9B, a long-range surface-to-air missile (SAM) system, is designed to engage aircraft, cruise missiles, and tactical ballistic missiles, with a claimed range of up to 300 kilometers and the ability to intercept multiple targets simultaneously. The HQ-16 (LY-80), a medium-range SAM, is intended to counter low-altitude threats like cruise missiles and drones, with a range of 40 kilometers. Both systems are integrated into Pakistan’s air defence network, supported by radars like the IBIS-150 and YLC-8E, and were promoted as robust shields against advanced threats, including India’s Rafale jets and BrahMos missiles.
However, the BrahMos’s unique characteristics—its high speed, low-altitude flight path, and maneuverability—appear to have overwhelmed these systems. The missile’s flat trajectory and Mach 3 velocity make it difficult for radar systems to detect and track in time for interception. Additionally, India’s use of suppression of enemy air defences (SEAD) tactics, including radar jamming and loitering munitions like the Harop, likely neutralized key components of Pakistan’s air defence network, rendering the HQ-9B and HQ-16 ineffective.
The 2022 BrahMos incident, where an unarmed missile accidentally entered Pakistani airspace and traveled 124 kilometers without being intercepted, had already raised questions about the efficacy of these systems. Pakistani claims of tracking the missile were not followed by any interception attempt, further highlighting potential deficiencies. Analysts have noted that the HQ-16’s truck-mounted design and reliance on separate guidance radar vehicles may limit its mobility and effectiveness in contested terrains, such as Pakistan’s mountainous border regions.
Pakistan’s dissatisfaction with the HQ-9B and HQ-16 systems has broader implications for its defence strategy and China’s standing in the global arms market. With nearly $20 billion worth of Chinese arms, including J-10C and JF-17 fighter jets, PL-15 air-to-air missiles, and Wing Loong-II drones, supplied to Pakistan, the failures during Operation Sindoor represent a significant setback for Beijing’s defence export ambitions. Reports of other Chinese systems, such as the PL-15 missile failing to hit targets and the YLC-8E radar being destroyed, have compounded concerns about the reliability of Chinese military technology.
In response, Pakistan is reportedly exploring diversification of its air defence acquisitions, with interest in Turkey’s S?PER 1 and S?PER 2 systems, which offer improved radar and guidance capabilities and resilience against electronic countermeasures. This shift signals growing frustration with China’s systems and a desire to reduce dependence on a single supplier.
For China, the public criticism on social media and Pakistan’s complaints pose a challenge to its image as a credible alternative to Western and Russian arms suppliers. The HQ-9B’s comparison to the US Patriot system has been called into question, especially as the Patriot has demonstrated battlefield success in conflicts like Ukraine. The failure of Chinese systems in Pakistan may also impact China’s own air defence strategy, as the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) relies on similar systems, including nearly 300 HQ-9 variants, for its own defence network.
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