Serbia Completes Airspace Protection with Chinese-made Air-Defense Systems

Serbia has ensured protection of its airspace with Chinese-made long range air defence system (ADS)- the FK-3 together with the short range ADS- the HQ-17AE which was displayed for the first time at an event to mark Vidovdan, a Serbian national holiday on June 28 in Kruševac.

Serbian President Serbia Miloš Vučević said on the occasion, “I am proud to underline that we have presented for the first time the new short range air defence system HQ-17АЕ, which was purchased from China. This is something that guarantees even better protection of the airspace above our fatherland, and it is an excellent tandem with our strongest weapon FK-3 (long range air defense system).”

The Chinese air defence system HQ-17АЕ  is used for the neutralization of enemy targets at small and medium distances, and it has modern characteristics such as quick reaction for combat engagement and firing while moving, a Serbian MoD statement said.

The HQ-17 missile resembles the Russian-made Tor-M1, and  is capable 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 FK-3 on the other hand is close in performance to the Russian S-300 and the American Patriot.