HQ-9

Mobile based surface to air missile/anti ballistic missile system

HHQ 9 surface launched Justin Bronk of the Royal United Services Institute describes the missile as a "hybrid design based on a Russian SA 20 but with radar, seeker head and C2 elements heavily influenced by American and Israeli technology." The TVM used on earlier missiles may have been developed from a United States MIM 104 Patriot missile purchased from Israel or Germany.

In July 2015, the PLA deployed the HQ 9 close to Kashmir along the LAC in preparation for a potential territorial conflict with India. The air defense systems were sent to the Hetian airfield located south of the Xinjiang region, which is only 260 km away from the Kashmir region. According to Kanwa Defense Review, a Chinese language magazine based in Canada, radar vehicles of HQ 9 air defense missiles have been spotted at the base and assessed that they are intended to defend China's western border from any potential air strikes launched by the Indian Air Force. On 17 February 2016, the Taiwan defense ministry said it had "learned of an air defence missile system deployed" by the Chinese on Woody Island in the Paracel Islands. It would not say how many missiles had been deployed or when, but told the BBC they would be capable of targeting civilian and military aircraft from Vietnam or the Philippines. The commander of the US Pacific Fleet confirmed the deployment to Reuters news agency. Adm Harry Harris said such a move would be "a militarisation of the South China Sea in ways" Chinese military chairman Xi Jinping had pledged not to make.

Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said there were "serious concerns" over China's "unilateral move to change the status quo" in the region, and "we cannot accept this fact." Satellite images show a close up of a section of beach, the shape of which resembles the northern coastline of Woody/Yongxing Island in the Paracels as it appears on other images, and point out two missile batteries. Each battery is made up of four launchers and two control vehicles. Two of the launchers appear to have been erected, says the report. Fox News quoted a US defence official as saying the missiles appeared to be the HQ 9 air defence system, with a range of about 200 km (125 miles).