Azerbaijan may have added China’s HQ-9BE long-range surface-to-air missile system to its arsenal, underscoring a growing shift away from Russian-made air defenses.
Footage circulating online from Baku’s military parade rehearsals marking the fifth anniversary of Azerbaijan’s 2020 victory over Armenia appears to show Chinese-made Transporter Erector Launcher vehicles used to carry the weapon.
Neither Baku nor Beijing have announced a sale, but the system’s presence during the preparations suggests Azerbaijan has quietly inducted China’s homegrown air defense platform.
If confirmed, it would mark Baku’s second major Chinese acquisition following last year’s delivery of JF-17 Block III fighter jets jointly developed by China and Pakistan.
Sources said the move reflects Azerbaijan’s broader effort to diversify its defense suppliers amid strained relations with Moscow and production setbacks in Russia’s defense industry.
The deal also strengthens Beijing’s position in the South Caucasus, a region traditionally dominated by Russian and Western arms.
It is expected that the HQ-9BE could replace or complement Azerbaijan’s S-300PMU-2 surface-to-air missile systems, providing extended coverage across Baku, the Caspian coast, and key energy infrastructure.
It will also enhance defense against advanced threats such as Armenia’s Iskander missiles and Su-30 aircraft.
The HQ-9BE System
Manufactured by Haidian District-based China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation, the HQ-9BE has a 360-degree launch capability and can engage up to 10 targets simultaneously.
The 7-meter (23-foot) weapon is typically mounted on an 8×8 wheeled truck, similar to the transporter spotted in Azerbaijan, and weighs approximately 2,000 kilograms (4,409 pounds).
HQ-9BE can neutralize fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft, unmanned aerial systems, and missiles at a maximum range of 260 kilometers (162 miles) and a speed of Mach 4 (4,939 kilometers/3,069 miles per hour).
