China Pushes New Advanced Weapons at DSA

Defense News

04/19/2012

China Pushes New Advanced Weapons at DSA

By Wendell Minnick

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Chinese companies are promoting advanced weapons for the international market at the 13th annual 2012 Defence Services Asia (DSA) exhibition held from April 16-19 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The China National Precision Machinery Import and Export Corporation (CPMIEC) is marketing three truck-mounted transporter erector launcher (TEL) missile systems: BP-12A, KS-1A, and FD-2000.

Of the three, the BP-12A surface-to-surface missile weapon system can carry a 480-kg warhead within ranges of 80 km to 280 km, just short of the 300-km range and 500-kg payload export restriction under the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR).

The BP-12A first appeared at the eighth Zhuhai Airshow in 2010 and is a shortened variant of the B611 short-range ballistic missile. According to CPMIEC brochure obtained at DSA, the BP-12A is “used to attack various important targets with campaign depth, such as missile site, rocket and longer ranger artillery site, communication center, troop concentration site, logistics supply base, and technical support center.”

The BP-12A system can carry two missiles-in-container for vertical “hot launch.” The warhead and missile body will not separate during flight, the brochure said. The BP-12A missile system shares the same launching platform as the SY400 multi-launch guided rocket system and the same ground test and launch control system.

CPMIEC is also marketing for export at DSA the KS-1A medium-range air defense missile weapon system (SAMWS) and the FD-2000 long-range air and missile defense weapons system.

The KS-1A SAMWS can target both aircraft within 7 km to 50 km and cruise missiles within 7 km and 30 km. It has a truck-mounted dual hitch-type missile launching mode and box-type oblique hot launching mode.

The FD-2000 with vertical TEL is an advanced long-range, all-altitude air and missile defense system that can perform in “mass air raid and severe electronic jamming conditions.” It can target cruise missiles (7-24 km), air-to-ground missiles (7-50 km), aircraft (7-125 km), precision-guided bombs and tactical ballistic missiles (7-25 km).

“FD-2000 is mainly provided for air force and air defense force for asset air defense to protect core political, military and economic targets,” according to the CPMIEC brochure. It can also coordinate with other air defense systems to “form a multi-layer air defense system for regional air defense.”

CPMIEC is also promoting the tailless flying wing SH-1 unmanned aerial vehicle first exhibited during the 2010 Zhuhai Airshow. The system is used for tactical aerial reconnaissance and battlefield surveillance.

It can be outfitted with two different systems: a CCD digital scanning photogrammetry system or a lightweight multispectrum CCD digital camera system. The SH-1 consists of a ground support system that includes a control station, launch vehicle (ejection or rocket-assisted) and support vehicle. It has a range 180 km, flight speed of 90 to 150 km/h and a maximum altitude of 5,000 meters.

CPMIEC is also showcasing its new X-band truck or ship-mounted HK-CL Continues Wave Measurement Radar for precise measurement of radial velocity and all-range trajectory of moving targets, including cannon shells, rockets, missiles, jammer projectiles and manned and unmanned aerial vehicles.

The radar is possibly an upgrade of the HK-CL43 produced by the LEBON Radar Electronic Technology Co. and is being tested on some naval vessels as an acquisition target radar for the Flying Leopard FL-3000N surface-to-air missile weapon system.