Missile KS-1

Prototypes of the KS-1 were developed in the early 1980s, with the first successful test-firing occurring in 1989. Initial development concluded in 1994. The system was displayed at international airshows in 1991 and 1998 but did not enter mass production until the completion of the improved KS-1A variant in the late 1990s. This variant was presented in 2001 and underwent testing before entering service with the People's Liberation Army under the designation HQ-12.

The KS-1 is a surface-to-air missile system utilizing a solid-fuel rocket motor and a mobile 6x6 launch platform. It was the first Chinese air defense platform to employ phased-array radar. Guidance is achieved through semi-active radar homing or radio-command. The missile is equipped with a warhead featuring impact and proximity detonation mechanisms. Target sets include aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, and helicopters, as well as ballistic and cruise missiles. A typical battery includes a passive phased-array radar panel, four launchers, reload trucks, and a command-and-control station. While early versions used rail-based launchers, the KS-1C variant utilizes canister-launched missiles. Radar components integrated with the system include the SJ-212, HT-233, and H-200 multifunction radar units.

The system is deployed by the People's Liberation Army Air Force and has been exported to Myanmar, Thailand, Turkmenistan, and Cambodia. Myanmar operates a licensed, locally produced version designated KS-1M, which employs a domestic chassis and missiles designated GYD-1B. The HQ-12 has been featured in Chinese military parades in 2009 and 2015. A second-generation development, designated HQ-22, was revealed in 2016 to serve as a longer-range alternative within the air defense network.