China’s New HQ-29 Hypersonic Kill Layer to Missile Defense Network

Defence affairs - Def-Geopolitics

During the V-Day military parade on September 3, 2025, to mark the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the end of World War II, China unveiled its long-speculated HQ-29 air and missile defense system for the first time. 

The system was displayed as part of the People’s Liberation Army’s strategic deterrence segment, drawing immediate attention from military analysts worldwide due to its advanced interceptor capabilities and previously classified status. The public debut of the HQ-29 confirmed years of rumors surrounding its development and signaled a notable expansion of China's layered missile defense network.

China’s newly unveiled HQ-29 interceptor missile system rolls through Tiananmen Square during the 2025 Victory Day military parade, marking its first public appearance as part of the PLA’s growing layered defense against hypersonic and ballistic threats. (Picture source: CCTV China footage)

Technically, the HQ-29 is assessed to be a dual-role exo-atmospheric interceptor capable of engaging both ballistic missiles in their midcourse phase and space-based threats in low Earth orbit. The missile is launched from a six-axle transporter-erector-launcher (TEL) carrying two large vertical canisters, each estimated to house a solid-fueled, high-velocity interceptor measuring approximately 7.5 meters in length and 0.5 meters in diameter. Based on trajectory modeling and system layout, the maximum engagement altitude likely exceeds 150 kilometers, with an operational range estimated between 400 to 600 kilometers.

The HQ-29 employs a hit-to-kill kinetic kill vehicle, equipped with an advanced dual-mode guidance system comprising inertial navigation, active radar homing, and infrared terminal seekers. The nose section of the interceptor reportedly integrates dozens of cold-gas micro-thrusters arranged in a hemispherical configuration to enable fine-tuned, multi-axis course corrections in space. This guidance package enables precision targeting of high-speed reentry vehicles, maneuverable ballistic missile warheads, and potentially even satellites in low orbit, placing the HQ-29 in the category of anti-satellite (ASAT)-capable systems.