China has created an analogue of the Thaad complex: what is known about the secret missile SC-19 (photo)

To spread: the Chinese SC-19 missile remains one of the most classified in the country. Despite repeated tests, there are no confirmed system characteristics in open sources. However, military experts still made a number of assumptions about the capabilities of the rocket, noting its appearance as a response to the advanced American system about Thaad. In its material, Defense Express observers write that from 2010 to 2023, China spent seven SC-19 test launches as an anti-missile crossing.

According to Global Security, the last known test took place on April 14, 2023, when the SC-19 successfully destroyed the target at the middle stage of the flight. The preliminary test took place on February 4, 2021, also with successful interception. It is noteworthy that the first launch of the SC-19 in the role of the missile system took place almost 15 years ago-in April 2010.

According to American data, the purpose was the Ballistic DF-16 (CSS-X-11) ballistic missile with a flight range up to 1000 km, and the interception was performed at a height of 250 km. Earlier, in January 2007, the SC-19 destroyed the Chinese Fy-1C meteorological satellite, which made the PRC the second country in the world after the United States, which has combat sipping weapons. Despite the test launches, information about Chinese ammunition remains limited.

Experts from The War Zone suggested that the SC-19 could be based on the unfulfilled project of Kaituozhe-1 rocket launcher (KT-1).

"If this assumption is truly true, then in this case, Chinese engineers have chosen a rather interesting trajectory, since KT-1 was created as a conversion of a medium-range ballistic missile DF-21 with another degree (ie DF-21 has two degrees plus combat part, and KT-1 has three degrees of useful load)" Thus, analysts have suggested that the Chinese military possesses a system similar to the American Thaad and the Russian C-500.