Article Posted on : - Mar 29, 2011

The HQ2 SAM systems of China. A file photo

BEIJING (PTI): Chinese military has conducted a drill to test its integrated air defence capability under the scenario of a massive air strike.

The tests which were held last week were aimed at bringing compatibility among various kinds of missile systems built by China, official media reports here said. The tests included surface-to-air missiles, also known as SAM.

Over the years China has built an intact missile defence network consisting of various kinds of missile systems.

New missile systems delivered to the regiment in recent years were not compatible with older models, commander of the missile regiment Wan Dexin said without disclosing the location.

"They have different ports, formats and protocols," Wan said.

Integrating different missile systems has enhanced the combat capability of the whole regiment, Wan said.

"Chinese air defence technology is advanced, but needs to improve in order to match the capabilities of the US," Zhang Qihuai, a professor with the Logistics College of China Air Force, told state-run Global Times.

Zhang said the Chinese missile industry has provided the People's Liberation Army (PLA) with a series of modern air defence systems.

However, the majority of the SAM systems deployed in China, namely the HQ2, are domestic variants of the Soviet C75 (NATO code name SAM2), which became operational in 1957.

The situation has been gradually improving after 1990, when the Russian S300 longrange SAM system was delivered, he said.