China tries to sell a low-cost ballistic system to African state
BEIJING ($1=7.16 Chinese Yuans) — China is trying to sell its short-range ballistic missile system to a North African country. This is the SY-400 system and the country is Algeria. The information was published in the Belgian online portal ArmyRecognition.
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This is not the first time that Algeria has turned to China for the purchase of weapons. Although Algeria has been a long-time customer of Russian weapons over the years, Beijing has been able to successfully sell its systems. For example, this year alone, Algeria bought from China five CH-5 reconnaissance and strike drones, as well as a 120mm Chinese self-propelled mortar. In 2020, Algeria bought Red Arrow-12 anti-tank systems, also known as the HJ-12, from China. In 2018, China sold the North African country five CH-3s and five CH-4s.
Therefore, the probability of Algeria acquiring Chinese ballistic systems is quite high. The SY-400 is the latest developed modification of the Weishi missiles, the development and serial production of which began in the 1980s.
About SY-400
The SY-400 can carry either two BP-12A missiles with a range of 400 km or 12 300mm PHL-03 missiles. The system was first introduced in 2018, with China defining it as a precision system with a short range. It can be said that the SY-400 is a competitor to the Russian Iskander-M system, as a cheaper alternative.
The SY-400 is very easy to maintain when not in use. Unlike other similar ballistic missile systems, the missile containers are mounted directly on the chassis, and the missiles can stay in them for years. The BP-12A and PHL-03 missiles can use different types of warheads. The SY-400 fires the missiles vertically.
The missile guidance technology in the ballistic missile system is GPS/INS. The missile uses a low rate of descent to extend the range. Multiple missiles can be directed at different targets. The missiles have four control surfaces and stabilizer fins.
The chassis that carries the ballistic missile system is the Wanshan 8×8. According to the characteristics, this chassis allows the ballistic system to be easily transported in hard-to-reach areas with different surfaces.
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