Pakistan has introduced a new Chinese-made short-range air defense system aimed at enhancing its ability to counter drones and other low-altitude threats, marking a significant development in its layered air defense architecture. The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) confirmed its operation of the HQ-17AE system through a social media video released Sunday. The HQ-17AE is an export version of China’s HQ-17A, itself a wheeled derivative of the Russian Tor-M1 missile system.
The system is capable of engaging targets at ranges up to 20 kilometers and altitudes as high as 10 kilometers. It is designed to intercept a variety of low-altitude threats, including uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs), helicopters, cruise missiles, guided munitions, and aircraft. Beyond Pakistan, the HQ-17AE has also been exported to Saudi Arabia, Serbia, and Tajikistan.
The video also highlighted Pakistan’s broader air defense capabilities, including the Chinese HQ-9P long-range surface-to-air missile system and Turkish-made platforms such as the Korkut self-propelled anti-aircraft gun and Sahin counter-drone system. Together, these components form Pakistan’s “layered integrated air defense system,” intended to address a spectrum of aerial threats. The HQ-9P targets long-range aircraft and missile threats, the LY-80 medium-range system addresses mid-level incursions, and the HQ-17AE counters short-range penetrators. The Turkish systems provide specialized countermeasures against drone swarms and other low-flying devices.
Experts note that the acquisition of the HQ-17AE fills a critical gap in Pakistan’s air defense network at the lower altitude level. Jagannath Panda, head of the Stockholm Centre for South Asian and Indo-Pacific Affairs, described it as a mobile battlefield and point-defense asset that addresses an emerging vulnerability. Panda highlighted the evolving nature of modern warfare, emphasizing that Pakistan cannot economically employ expensive long-range interceptors against every low-cost drone or loitering munition. Instead, the HQ-17AE offers an additional layer to handle denser, low-altitude aerial threats.
Liselotte Odgaard, senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, observed that while the HQ-17AE will play a key role in countering drones, it might be less cost-effective than specialized Turkish systems such as the Korkut and Sahin, which are optimized for uncrewed aerial system threats. She further noted that successful integration of Chinese and Turkish technologies could enhance the appeal of Chinese air defense platforms in countries already using equipment from NATO or Turkish suppliers. However, she stressed that the effectiveness of such systems ultimately depends on real-world combat performance.
China remains Pakistan’s primary arms supplier, accounting for about 80 percent of its weapons imports between 2021 and 2025, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. Chinese-origin systems played a notable role during the May 2023 border conflict with India, during which Pakistan claimed to have shot down several Indian aircraft.
Panda suggested that the HQ-17AE could prove significant in any future India-Pakistan confrontations, where engagements are increasingly likely to involve stand-off weapons, drones, electronic warfare, and layered air defense, rather than solely relying on manned fighter aircraft. The system is tailored for the emerging complexity of low-altitude battlespaces expected in future conflicts.