HQ-6 vs L-SAM: Specs Compared

FORCETALLY

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AAir defence

HQ-6

air-to-air & surface-to-air missiles

BAir defence

L-SAM

Long-range, mobile surface-to-air missile / anti-ballistic missile system

First system

Second system

At a glance

Side by side

Length comparisonOne shared metre scale

HQ-6Length

3.69 m

Length source ↗

L-SAMAnti-ballistic missile

7 m

Length source ↗

Lengths retain their source configuration and measurement scope.

Measured figures

Head to head

12 of 27 rows sourced on both sides

3.69m

7mAnti-ballistic missile

Length

All recorded figures & sources

3.69 m

Length

Single source

3.69 meter^[source]

7 m

Anti-ballistic missile

Single source

Configuration

Details

HQ-6 and L-SAM configuration
Specification	HQ-6	L-SAM
Type	air-to-air & surface-to-air missiles^[source]	Long-range, mobile surface-to-air missile / anti-ballistic missile system^[source]
Place of origin	China^[source]	South Korea^[source]
In service	late 1980s – present^[source]	2028 (planned)^[source]
Used by	Primary user: China See Operators section for others^[source]	Republic of Korea Air Force

Manufacturer	Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology^[source]	Hanwha Aerospace LIG Defense & Aerospace^[source]

Produced	since late 1980s^[source]	2025 (planned)^[source]

Warhead	33 kg warhead^[source]	—

Detonation mechanism	impact / proximity^[source]	—

Engine	rocket motor^[source]	Dual- pulsed rocket motor^[source]

Propellant	solid fuel^[source]	Gelled nitromethane propellant^[source]

Guidance system	SARH / ARH^[source]	Imaging infra-red seeker^[source]

Launch platform	Air & surface^[source]	—

Designer	—	Agency for Defense Development (system) Hanwha (anti-ballistic missile) LIG Nex1 (anti-aircraft missile)^[source]

Designed	—	Block 1: 2019–2024 Block 2: 2025–2028 (planned)^[source]

Flight ceiling	—	Block 1: 60 km (37 mi) Block 2 HAI: 180 km (110 mi)^[source]

Role	—	South Korean long range surface-to-air and anti-ballistic missile system^[source]

Source measurement	—	The L-SAM system is expected to use two types of interceptors: one for anti-air meant to target general air breathing threats such as aircraft or cruise missiles and the other for anti-ballistic . The anti-ballistic missile (ABM) consists of total of a three stages and uses a hit-to-kill system that intercepts targets with a kill vehicle that integrates an imaging infra-red (IIR) seeker and a divert attitude control system (DACS), and can intercept missiles approaching at an altitude of 50–60 kilometers (160,000–200,000 ft). L-SAM demonstrated its intercept capability by succeeding three out of a total of four missile interception tests between November 2022 and June 2023.^[source]L-SAM · Development and design; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage Operating frequency : S-band (2–4 GHz)^[source]L-SAM · Development and design / Long-range multifunction radar (L-MFR) / Transmit/receive module; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage On 25 April 2023, the 153rd Defense Acquisition Program Promotion Committee deliberated and approved on a plan to develop a new missile defense system with a higher intercepting altitude than the existing L-SAM with a budget of 2.71 trillion won by 2027. The new missile system, named L-SAM 2, includes high-altitude interceptor (HAI) missiles and glide phase interceptor (GPI) missiles, and is estimated to have an interception altitude of 180 km.^[source]L-SAM · Improvements / Block 2; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Source measurement

—

The L-SAM system is expected to use two types of interceptors: one for anti-air meant to target general air breathing threats such as aircraft or cruise missiles and the other for anti-ballistic . The anti-ballistic missile (ABM) consists of total of a three stages and uses a hit-to-kill system that intercepts targets with a kill vehicle that integrates an imaging infra-red (IIR) seeker and a divert attitude control system (DACS), and can intercept missiles approaching at an altitude of 50–60 kilometers (160,000–200,000 ft). L-SAM demonstrated its intercept capability by succeeding three out of a total of four missile interception tests between November 2022 and June 2023.^[source]L-SAM · Development and design; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Operating frequency : S-band (2–4 GHz)^[source]L-SAM · Development and design / Long-range multifunction radar (L-MFR) / Transmit/receive module; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

On 25 April 2023, the 153rd Defense Acquisition Program Promotion Committee deliberated and approved on a plan to develop a new missile defense system with a higher intercepting altitude than the existing L-SAM with a budget of 2.71 trillion won by 2027. The new missile system, named L-SAM 2, includes high-altitude interceptor (HAI) missiles and glide phase interceptor (GPI) missiles, and is estimated to have an interception altitude of 180 km.^[source]L-SAM · Improvements / Block 2; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage