China has presented the concept of a new cruise missile. The ammunition may turn out to be a copy of the Ukrainian Bliskavka (Lightning) missile. Externally, the Chinese missile is similar to the Ukrainian development. This is reported by the Defense Blog.
The Chinese HD-1A rocket as part of the new complex was presented during the Airshow China 2021 in Zhuhai. The authors of the portal emphasize that the Chinese product "in all respects" looks like a clone of the mOlniya rocket developed by the Yuzhnoye design Bureau.
According to the Guangdong Hongda Blasting company, which developed the new missile, the HD-1A is designed for strikes on land and sea targets. A supersonic missile can hit important infrastructure facilities and fortified enemy buildings. The Chinese complex includes a control system, a launcher and an HD-1A rocket. At the Airshow China 2021, the ammunition was demonstrated on a mock-up of a fighter.
The model of the Molniya rocket was first shown in 2019. The air-to-surface ammunition is designed for arming Su-27 fighters and Su-24M bombers. The developers note that the installation of a new rocket will require minimal re-equipment of the aircraft.
The claimed flight speed of the "Lightning" exceeds 2 thousand kilometers per hour. Earlier, military expert Oleg Zhdanov stated that there are no means of protection against a promising missile.
Daniil Irinin
