Systems like the HQ-29 missile are perfectly tailored to complicate the US military’s ability to project power into regions like the Indo-Pacific.
Over the past half-decade, China and the United States have been mired in an arms race—one that has recently extended to space. In the evolving landscape of global military technology, China’s HQ-29, dubbed the “Satellite Killer”—or, alternatively the “double-barreled satellite hunter,” by Chinese state media—rolls into the fray.
An anti-satellite (ASAT) and anti-ballistic missile (ABM) system, the HQ-29 was showcased at a recent military demonstration. The missile represents Beijing’s strategic push to dominate space and counter high-velocity threats, marking a significant escalation in China’s race to override America’s global supremacy.
Why China Wants Anti-Satellite Weapons
In the early 2000s, Chinese military designers began thinking about anti-satellite weapons, understanding that destroying Western satellites represented a way to devastate hostile communications networks in advance of a major conflict. Development of the HQ-29 officially began in 2003, under China’s overall ambitious missile defense programs. By 2005-07, key technologies like thrust-vectoring and active flight control were tested, culminating in successful validation trial in 2011. This system builds on predecessors like the HQ-9 for terminal-phase defense and the HQ-19 for high-altitude interception, filling a critical gap in mid-course exo-atmospheric engagements.
To understand the timing of China’s search for space weapons, it is important to understand the geopolitical context. In the early 2000s, the American military juggernaut seemed unstoppable. In the wake of 9/11, the United States military had fanned out across the world in the Global War on Terror (GWoT). Space systems played critical roles in supporting US operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, and Chinese military leaders realized that they would need to stunt America’s overwhelming space advantages in order to ever defeat the US military in combat, if it came to that.
The HQ-29 is part of China’s counterspace arsenal designed to deprive the United States access to the critical strategic domain of space. The HQ-29 underscores China’s shift toward space dominance, aligning with its anti-access/area-denial (A2/AD) strategy. By threatening satellites, it could blind adversaries like the US, which relies heavily on space-based systems for military operations.
About the HQ-29 Missile System
Mounted on a heavy six-axle transporter erector launcher (TEL), the HQ-29 features two larger canisters, suggesting enhanced kinetic energy and range. Its design incorporates a kinetic kill vehicle with advanced thrusters—up to 100 solid-state pulse units—for precise trajectory adjustments, distinguishing it from Russian counterparts, like the 9M96. Speculation links it to the HQ-26 or DN-series, emphasizing its anti-satellite roots—reminiscent of China’s notorious 2007 ASAT test, which successfully destroyed a derelict Chinese weather satellite in low-Earth Orbit (LEO) but created a massive debris field that still plagues international space operations.
The HQ-29 “Satellite Hunter” excels in intercepting ballistic missiles during their mid-course phase outside Earth’s atmosphere, without a burnout velocity of around 2.77 miles per second and interception altitudes of up to 932 miles. It boasts a slant-interception range of 746-1,553 miles and can neutralize intermediate-range ballistic missiles (IRBMs) up to 3,417-mile class, with apogee targets at 497 miles. Speed estimates exceed Mach 18, enabling it to engage hypersonic threats and low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites beyond 311 miles.
This dual ABM-ASAT functionality gives the system a great deal of flexibility in disrupting enemy reconnaissance, navigation, and communication assets. For instance, deployed in Tibet, the missiles could counter Indian ballistic missiles; on China’s eastern coast, it might threaten space assets over Japan. Integrated with radars like the Type 610A (detection up to 2,485 miles), the HQ-29 forms part of China’s three-tiered defense network, enhancing rapid deployment and multi-layered protection against mass drone or missile attacks.
Unlike the American Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD), which focuses on incoming missile threats in the upper atmosphere, or the PAC-3 MSE, which fixates on lower-altitude kinetic kills, the HQ-29’s mid-course focus and ASAT extension make it more versatile. It surpasses the HQ-19 in range and altitude, while rivaling the scope of Russia’s mighty S-500 air defense system.
The HQ-29 Is a Serious Problem for the US Military
Systems like the HQ-29 missile are perfectly tailored to complicate the US military’s ability to project power into regions like the Indo-Pacific, which China views as its own sphere of influence. China’s A2/AD strategy is multilayered and is predicated upon the concept of denial. Currently, Chinese forces can deny the bulk of US military forces access to the waters nearest to China, and can rebuff its access to the airspace over the Indo-Pacific. With systems like the HQ-29, China could conceivably prevent the US from using its advanced space capabilities to more thoroughly project power.
The United States has yet to successfully devise a way to penetrate the robust A2/AD bubbles China intends to create in the event of war—or better protect US satellites in orbit from systems such as the HQ-29.
About the Author: Brandon J. Weichert
Brandon J. Weichert is a senior national security editor at The National Interest. Recently, Weichert became the host of The National Security Hour on America Outloud News and iHeartRadio, where he discusses national security policy every Wednesday at 8pm Eastern. He is also a contributor at Popular Mechanics and has consulted regularly with various government institutions and private organizations on geopolitical issues. Weichert’s writings have appeared in multiple publications, including The Washington Times, National Review, The American Spectator, MSN, The Asia Times, and others. His books include Winning Space: How America Remains a Superpower, Biohacked: China’s Race to Control Life, and The Shadow War: Iran’s Quest for Supremacy. His newest book, A Disaster of Our Own Making: How the West Lost Ukraine is available for purchase wherever books are sold. He can be followed via Twitter @WeTheBrandon.
Image: Shutterstock / Albert89.
