Serbia’s Ministry of Defence has announced the operational deployment of the Chinese FK-3 air defence missile system to enhance the protection of Serbia’s airspace.
The FK-3 system, which is the export version of the HQ-22, consists of a command vehicle, transporter erector launchers, targeting radars, and logistics vehicles. The system is operated by the 250th Air Defence Missile Brigade which is a joint tactical unit of Serbian Air Force and Air Defence.
The missile battery commander, Captain 1st Class Stefan Manić, says that the FK-3 is a milestone in air defence systems.
“The FK-3 has an exceptional anti-jamming system and capability to prevent missiles designed to destroy tracking radars. The FK-3 air defence missile system is characterized by exceptional manoeuvrability and spatial efficiency, which makes it dominant among new generation missile systems. It is equipped with sophisticated technology. In addition to the aforementioned characteristics, the system has exceptional fire capabilities, because it can engage 6 air targets with 12 missiles simultaneously” says Captain Manić.
Developed by China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation, the HQ-22 air defence system represents a second-generation advancement of the HQ-12 missile. It is designed to serve as a cost-effective alternative to the HQ-2. Unlike its predecessor, the HQ-12, the missile features a “wingless” design. To minimize expenses, the missile employs semi-active radar guidance, with the option to switch to radio command guidance in scenarios characterized by significant electronic interference.
A typical HQ-22 unit comprises four to eight transporter erector launchers, each equipped with four missiles. The radar vehicle is reportedly capable of engaging six targets simultaneously. This missile system has drawn comparisons to the United States’ Patriot system and Russia’s mobile long-range S-300 surface-to-air missile system. While it has a shorter range than certain S-300 variants, such as the S-300PMU-2, it is believed to possess enhanced electronic countermeasures (ECM) and superior performance against stealth targets at shorter distances.
