Recently, China’s CCTV Military Channel broadcast a special program titled “Tempered Sword – Land Shield,” introducing China’s domestically developed Type 625E Anti-Aircraft Gun Missile Integrated Weapon System. This Type 625 anti-aircraft gun missile system, notable for its powerful performance and cost-effectiveness, was not only developed for export but also first entered service in the Tibet Military Region in 2021 and was publicly showcased at the 2022 Zhuhai Airshow. It has since been extensively equipped in army units and was recently featured as new equipment in joint military exercises held on the China-Myanmar border.
The Type 625 close-in air defense system has also garnered attention from Western military media. The U.S. defense column “The War Zone” described it as a “Beastly” air defense system. The Belgian site “Army Recognition,” which focuses on the development of military equipment worldwide, published an article analyzing the Chinese Type 625E anti-aircraft gun missile integrated weapon system. The site noted that the emergence of the Type 625E system fills a gap in China’s short-range air defense capabilities. This highly integrated system combines multiple rapid-fire guns and short-range air defense missiles, featuring an integrated setup of air search radar, fire control radar, and electro-optical tracking systems on a single vehicle.
“Army Recognition” believes that China could challenge the Russian Pantsir series of missile-based integrated air defense systems with its Type 625E system, which uses high-performance multi-barrel rapid-fire guns and demonstrates superior adaptability to changing battlefield conditions.
In 2014, a photo surfaced on social media showing a single-barrel 35mm wheeled self-propelled anti-aircraft gun, later known as the PGL-12, being tested. For a long time, it was widely believed that the PGL-12 would be deployed alongside the HQ-17A field mobile air defense system to provide air defense coverage for China’s medium combined brigades.
However, despite the PGL-12’s impressive firepower, it never entered service. It remained in a state of “hearing the stairs creak but seeing no one descend,” with rumors suggesting it was abandoned due to low production capacity, limited ammunition, high cost, extensive chassis modifications, and low sustained firing rate.
In early 2021, a new type of integrated gun-missile air defense system, highly similar to the Type 625E system, was spotted in a CCTV report on a medium combined brigade stationed in the Tibet Military Region. This new system, the CS/SA-5 integrated air defense system’s domestic version, replaced the PGL-12.
It is widely believed that the PLA did not adopt the PGL-12 due to its multiple shortcomings, instead favoring the CS/SA-5 system, which employs a 25mm multi-barrel Gatling gun, offering higher combat capability and lower overall cost.
The Type 625E anti-aircraft gun missile system retains a layout with the driver’s cab at the front, the firepower unit in the middle, the fire control unit above, and the command unit at the rear. The chassis is based on China’s new-generation 8-wheel universal chassis, which improves upon its predecessor by addressing issues such as weak overall protection, less compact chassis structure, minor suspension system flaws, and poor off-road performance. The new chassis also features a more powerful, dual-turbocharged 132 series diesel engine, enhancing its battlefield adaptability.
The Type 625E system’s fire control unit consists mainly of search radar, tracking radar, and electro-optical tracking systems. The workflow involves the search radar first providing target information for low-altitude aircraft, helicopters, drones, and incoming loitering munitions or guided munitions, directing the tracking radar and electro-optical system to the target. These systems then track the target in real-time, measure distance, calculate trajectory, determine the best intercept point, and subsequently control the firepower unit to intercept the target. The system also features infrared optical sensors, capable of simultaneously locking onto multiple incoming targets using infrared cameras.
The firepower unit of the Type 625E system consists of a six-barrel 25mm Gatling gun and eight man-portable air defense missiles (the domestic CS/SA-5 version has only four). The theoretical firing rate of the six-barrel 25mm Gatling gun is estimated at 3000-5000 rounds per minute, with an ammunition capacity of 800-1000 rounds, allowing for continuous firing for 12-20 seconds, equivalent to 10 interception attempts. Its high firing rate increases the probability of hitting and destroying targets within the same shooting window.
Besides armor-piercing rounds, the Type 625E anti-aircraft gun missile system also features smart fuzes (programmable electronic time fuzes) for precise airburst timing of shells, significantly improving hit rates. Demonstration videos show that just a few rounds are needed to shoot down a drone, showcasing its high combat efficiency.
The integration of man-portable air defense missiles on either side of the turret is intended to extend the system’s engagement range, combining the high cannon for close-range targets with missiles for long-range targets. The Type 625E system is equipped with FN-16/Hongying-6B man-portable air defense missiles, which feature infrared/ultraviolet dual-color rose petal scan technology for strong anti-jamming capabilities and a maximum range of 6 km. The FN-16 missile’s laser proximity fuze enhances its effectiveness against cruise missiles and drones.
According to “Army Recognition,” the Type 625E anti-aircraft gun missile system can also be equipped with the FB-10 series man-portable air defense missiles. The FB-10 comes in two versions: the base model and the extended-range FB-10A. The base model uses an infrared imaging seeker with an effective range of 1-10 km and an altitude range of 15-5000 meters, while the extended-range model increases the effective range to 18 km. This flexibility allows both the PLA and overseas customers to choose based on their operational needs.
“Army Recognition” notes that compared to the Russian Pantsir series, the Type 625E system is slightly inferior in radar detection range, missile coverage, and missile quantity but can challenge the Pantsir with its powerful firepower (six-barrel 25mm Gatling gun) and strong mobility (new-generation diesel engine and 8-wheel universal chassis).
It should be noted that, given China’s advanced technological reserves in radar and missile development, it is possible to address these shortcomings through the replacement of similar products or technical adjustments. However, this depends on whether the PLA and overseas customers have such needs; otherwise, there is no necessity.
