Pakistan unveils Chinese-Turkish air-defence systems to counter Indian strikes

During the Pakistan Day ceremony commemorating the 1965 war, the Pakistani Air Force revealed two new close-in air-defence systems to address vulnerabilities exposed by Indian attacks in Operation Sindoor. The first, the HQ-17A, is a Chinese version of Russia’s Tor-M1 and can engage aircraft, helicopters, cruise missiles and UAVs out to 20 km and below 35,000 ft. The second, the KORKUT, is a Turkish-origin 35 mm self-propelled anti-aircraft gun developed by Aselsan, with an effective range of about 4 km and logistics already in place from existing Swiss-made guns.

Officials noted that high-speed weapons such as India’s Mach-3 Brahmos and future Rudram anti-radiation missiles could evade the HQ-17’s radar, prompting a layered defence approach. The new systems aim to shield key bases from the north at Nur Khan air base to the south at Malir Cantt in Karachi, where Indian strikes previously damaged the Chinese-made HQ-16 SAM radars. While not a complete shield, the equipment adds an extra defensive layer for Pakistan’s air assets.