Uzbekistan’s army has held the first live-fire tests of its Chinese-made FD-2000 (or HQ-9, said to be a non-licensed variant of the Russian S-300 air defense system), the Ministry of Defense reported on November 8.

FD-2000/HQ-9 air defense system (Picture source: Army Recognition)

"In accordance with the combat training plan, an air defense unit of Uzbekistan’s Air Defense and Air Force Troops have successfully conducted an exercise with live-fire launches of surface-to-air missiles [SAMs]," said the MoD, adding that the exercise had been conducted at the Kulkuduk range in Navoiy Region. According to a footage officially released by the Uzbek military, the FD-2000 air defense system was supported by the Pechora-2M medium-range SAM systems. The air defense assets were protected by BTR-80 armored personnel carriers and infantry. The targets were simulated by unmanned aerial vehicles, the MoD added. Uzbekistan unveiled its FD-2000 air defense system in late 2018.

The HQ-9 (simplified Hóng Qí-9, literally 'Red Banner-9') is a medium- to long-range, active radar homing surface-to-air missile. Similar in capability to the Russian S-300 and American Patriot systems, the HQ-9 uses an HT-233 PESA radar system. The HQ-9 system has an anti-radiation variant, known as the FT-2000 for export. The export designation for air defense version is FD-2000 (with FD stands for Fang Dun, meaning defensive shield), and its developer China Precision Machinery Import-Export Corporation (CPMIEC) first made it public at the Africa Aerospace and Defence Exhibition held at Cape Town in March 2009.