HQ-6

The HQ-6, also known as the LY-60 and given the NATO reporting name CH-SA-6, is a family of Chinese air defence missiles developed by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology, a subsidiary of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. It is largely based on the Chinese PL-11 air-to-air missile, itself a licensed version of the Italian Aspide, which in turn descends from the American AIM-7 Sparrow. The first member, the HQ-61, was a semi-active radar homing system with truck-mounted radars and twin-rail launchers; it was fitted to four Type 053H2G frigates built between 1988 and 1991 and was later replaced by the HQ-7. The export-oriented LY-60 was unveiled in 1994, and the improved HQ-64 was accepted into Chinese service in 2001 with box launchers and a faster deployment time. The HQ-6A pairs an HQ-64 launcher with a LD-2000 close-in weapon system. Operators include China, Ethiopia, Morocco, Sudan and Pakistan.