China's ATGW missile

Norfolk

Junior Member
VIP Professional
The Chinese HJ-9, while it is comparable to some of the best anti-tank missiles out in the market right now, isn't a very portable device. It must be mounted either on a jeep or placed onto a fixed position in order to be used. I would not doubt at all that if an HJ-9 hits the Merkava IV (or even a Merkava V in the future) the tank would be annhilated. The HJ-8 with a tandem warhead can go through 1200 mm, an HJ-9 has a much larger radius and by no doubt a much larger punch. Yet is going for a frontal armor kill really this necessary these days when you have systems like the Javelin or French ERYX? It seems like if China does get a system similar to the Javelin, then will there be a reason for China to produce heavy, non-portable ATGW for infantry use?

I does seem unlikely that Chinese infantry have an anti-tank weapon with real utility, at least against MBT with composite armour. While HJ-9 may (or may not) be capable of dealing with some MBT with composite armour, it is not a practical infantry weapon. Although it may be effective, it is not efficient. It is semi-static like the TOWS of old, either mounted on a light vehicle or tripod and therefore alternatively vulnerable or immobile. Javelin of course, is foot-mobile (even if still a crew-served weapon), and much less vulnerable than a light vehicle as the gunner can stay close to ground and move using available cover and concealment fit for individual infantrymen, which tends to be rather easier than finding the same for vehicles.

Until Chinese infantry receives something comparable to Javelin, either it has very limited practical protection against enemy armour, or it has to accept the limitations on maneouvre that go with being tied to anti-tank weapons that are difficult to move and to conceal, thus considerably increasing the vulnerability of the infantry's organic anti-tank defences. We will see if the PLA makes some important improvements in this area or not over the next decade or so.
 
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