On October 14th, the Pakistan Army Air Defence commissioned state-of-the-art Chinese manufactured HQ-9/P HIMADS (High to Medium Air Defence System) in the Air Defence arm of the Pakistan Army.
“Induction of HIMADS will significantly enhance Comprehensive Layered Integrated Air Defence (CLIAD) shield of aerial frontiers of Pakistan as the system is fully integrated through a well-knit Digitized System on its inventory,”
The Official Statement
The procurement of Chinese HQ-9/P HIMADS indicates Pakistan’s increasing reliance on China for military hardware. HIMADS will further strengthen Pakistan’s aerial defence against fighter jets, cruise and BVR missiles.
HQ-9/P is a top-of-the-line strategic long-range Surface to Air Missile (SAM). Its remarkable flexibility and precision make it capable of intercepting multiple air targets including aircraft, cruise missiles and Beyond Visual Range Weapons at ranges over 100 kilometers with single shot kill probability.
Speaking at the occasion, Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa said that exemplary synergy between the Pakistan Air Force and Pakistan Army Air Defence had made the country’s air defence impregnable. The COAS also underscored the importance of air defence and further stated that the induction of high-tech systems would make Pakistan’s air defence “impenetrable in the emerging threat scenario”.
Lieutenant General Hamooduz Zaman Khan, commander of the Army Air Defence Command, also briefed General Bajwa on the strategic weapon system.
Pakistan’s tilt towards China in procuring latest weapons and weapon systems depicts the country’s change of camp. This paradigm shift – against the backdrop of the US strategic alliance with India – is believed to restore the balance of power regionally and globally.
