HN-5

The HN-5 (or Hong Ying-5), is a family of first generation Chinese MANPAD based on Soviet technology. The literal translation of Hong Ying is Red Tassel, but HN abbreviation is used to avoid confusion with HY (Hai Ying, or Sea Eagle) series anti-ship missiles of Silkworm missile family. The HN-5 series in Chinese hands has been phased out in front-line and first line reserve units by QW series MANPAD, but still being used by militia units.

HN-5

This is the reverse engineered Soviet SA-7A. Due to the urgent need of MANPAD, North Vietnam provided China with the original sample during the Vietnam War and asked China to produce and supply NVA. However, due to the political turmoil in China, namely, the Cultural Revolution, the reverse engineering process was slow and by the time the first small production batch was sent to Vietnam for evaluation, the result was ineffective because American aircraft has already adopted ECM to successfully counter HN-5 and its Soviet counterpart Soviet SA-7A. The dimensions and performance of HN-5 is extremely similar to that of SA-7A.

HN-5A

As the result of unsatisfactory performance of the original HN-5, China immediately begun to improve the missile and North Vietnam once again provided China with the original Soviet sample during the Vietnam War, this time the Strela-2M (SA-7B). However, when the Chinese finally complete its improvement, it was already too late to see action, because the Vietnam War was over and the relationship between the two countries had soured.
*Length: 1.46 m
*Weight: 10.2 kg
*System weight: 16.5 kg
*Missile diameter: 72 mm
*Warhead: 0.5 kg
*Fuse: impact
*Speed: 500 m/s
*Range: 800 m – 4.4 km
*Altitude: 50 m – 2.5 km

HN-5B

Developed by China based on the Soviet SA-14 Gremlin. Although the missile had entered service with the Chinese army in the mid 1980s, it was not until 1990 when it was first publicly revealed in China. [http://www.sinodefence.com/army/surfacetoairmissile/hn5.asp] . According to many domestic Chinese media sources and some sources outside China, Chinese obtained the Soviet samples via Zaire from UNITA captured SA-14 Gremlin from Angola governmental forces, the exact the same way China obtained 9K310 (SA-16) Igla-1 missile a short time later. The missile entered in service with the Pakistani army in January 1990.

Foreign Variant

Pakistan has produced a missile as the Anza Mk I, It has been used in combat. The missile hit and damaged an Indian An-32 that wandered across the line of control.

HN-5C

Vehicle mounted version of HN-5B that first entered production in 1986, but was not revealed to public in China until early 1990s. A total of 8 missiles are configured into two groups of 4 missiles mounted on a 4 x 4 vehicle with electro-optical fire control system. Depending on the size of the vehicle, there could either be reload available or without reloads. Although the missiles of the vehicle mounted version can be used as MANPAD, they can not be interchanged under field condition, but instead, must be done back at base level.

HQ-5C

HQ stands for Hong Qi, or Red Flag, the common Chinese designation for their surface to air missiles. The missile was specifically developed in the 1980s for export, and it is an "Westernized" HN-5B by adopting western standards. The reason was because despite its low price, when the Soviet style HN-5 had been exported to third world countries mainly armed with western weaponry, the compatibility issues and associating logistic problem increased the overall life cycle cost of the missile. To avert the problem, the missile is modified to be compatible with western standards. Philippines reportedly was the customer of HQ-5C, and Thailand was rumored to be the other customer of HQ-5C