HQ-7B - Chinese-made short-range air defense (SHORAD)

The HQ-7B is a Chinese-made short-range air defense (SHORAD) missile system developed by the China Precision Machinery Import-Export Corporation (CPMIEC). It is the most advanced modern variant of the HongQi 7 (HQ-7) missile family, which is based on the technology of the French Crotale missile system. The export version of the HQ-7B is widely known as the FM-90.

HQ-7B - CHINA

Key characteristics of the HQ-7B include:

High Mobility: Unlike the original version, which utilized a 4x4 vehicle, the HQ-7B employs a domestically produced 6x6 wheeled armored vehicle chassis to enhance mobility over rugged terrain.

Armament: It utilizes a TELAR (Transporter Erector Launcher and Radar) vehicle equipped with four ready-to-fire missile canisters and an integrated tracking radar.

Interception Capability: Specifically designed to destroy low-altitude and ultra-low-altitude targets, such as fighter aircraft, helicopters, cruise missiles, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs/drones).

Tracking System: Equipped with a Doppler search radar, a J-band tracking radar, and an infrared (IR) tracking camera to ensure high accuracy across various weather conditions.

FM-90 , PAKISTAN

Range: It has an operational interception range of 700 meters to 15 kilometers, capable of engaging targets at altitudes between 15 and 6,000 meters.

The system is widely used by the Chinese Armed Forces (PLA) for point defense, protecting military bases or vital assets against short-range air attacks.

Development of the HQ-7B missile system began in the late 1990s as a major upgrade to the original HQ-7 system. To view the full development timeline, here is the chronological evolution of this missile system:

Late 1970s (Origins): China imported several units of the French Crotale missile system for evaluation and reverse-engineering.

Crotale missile French

1980s (The First HQ-7): The first cloned version was successfully tested in 1983, and the initial mass-production model (HQ-7 / FM-80) officially entered service in the late 1980s.

1998 (Birth of the FM-90 Variant): The China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC) launched an advanced export version designated the FM-90. This version incorporated new technologies, such as infrared tracking cameras and faster missiles.

2009 (Public Debut of the HQ-7B): Following its integration onto a domestically produced 6x6 armored vehicle chassis, this domestic variant—officially used by the Chinese military—was widely adopted by the Chinese Army (PLA) and made its public debut in 2009.

Thus, although its roots lie in 1980s technology, the specific HQ-7B variant was developed from the late 1990s onwards, eventually becoming ready for mass deployment in 2009.

FM-90 BANGLADESH

The primary operators of the FM-90 missile system (the export version of the HQ-7B) are located across several regions, particularly in South Asia, Central Asia, and Africa; these include Pakistan, Bangladesh, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Algeria.