Chinese missile force puts new Russian S-400 air defence system to the test
- PLA Rocket Force reportedly shot down a ‘simulated ballistic target’ almost 250km (155 miles) away and moving at 3km (1.9 miles) per second
- It was the first time China has tested the system bought under a US$3 billion contract
China has successfully tested an advanced air defence system imported from Russia, as the two militaries continue to step up cooperation.
Russian media reported that China’s People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force tested the S-400 Triumf air defence system last month, successfully shooting down a “simulated ballistic target” almost 250km (155 miles) away and moving at the supersonic speed of 3km (1.9 miles) per second.
It was the first time the PLA’s missile force had tested the system since it received the last shipments of the weaponry from Russia in July under a US$3 billion contract signed in 2015.
China – which has been equipped with Russia’s S-300 system for more than a decade – is the first country to import the next-generation S-400 air defence missile system.
Analysts said Russia appeared to have publicised the test last week to highlight closer military ties between Moscow and Beijing and to promote its S-400 system.