China’s Guangdong Hongda Blasting Co Ltd presented HD-1A missile that shares striking similarities to the Ukrainian-made Bliskavka (“Lightning”) supersonic cruise missile.
The company unveiled a mock-up of its new missile system at the Airshow China 2021 in Zhuhai. It looked like a clone of Bliskavka missile designed by Ukrainian defense contractor Yuzhnoye, Defence Blog reported.
HD-1A is reportedly designed to destroy both ground and sea targets. It is said to provide precision strikes and fire support, including coastal defense and channel blockade. It can also destroy well-protected targets, such as communications and command centers, military bases, military infrastructure and enemy naval ships.
“It is a new weapon system capable of guaranteeing strategic deterrence and performing tactical precision strikes,” the company said.
The Chinese HD-1A consists of a missile, launch system and integrated support system. It has been developed for use in missions aimed at destroying high-quality, well-protected targets, such as communication and command centers, air forces bases, maintenance centers and infrastructure.
As a Chinese clone, the Ukrainian missile has air intakes on both sides of the missile that suggest it is a ramjet-powered missile. In general, the design of both missiles is very similar but has a number of differences.
Bliskavka was first unveiled at the Zbroya ta bezpeka-2019 (Arms and Security-2019) military exhibition in Kiev, Ukraine.
© 2021, GDC. © GDC and www.globaldefensecorp.com. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to www.globaldefensecorp.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.