HQ-6 vs Project Kusha: Specs Compared

AAir defence

HQ-6

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

BAir defence

Project Kusha

Long-range surface-to-air missile

First system

Second system

Measured figures

Head to head

13 of 28 rows sourced on both sides

3.69m

—

Length

All recorded figures & sources

3.69 m

Length

Single source

3.69 meter^[source]

203mm

—

Diameter

All recorded figures & sources

Configuration

Details

HQ-6 and Project Kusha configuration
Specification	HQ-6	Project Kusha
Speed	Mach 3^[source]	Mach 5.5^[source]
Type	air-to-air & surface-to-air missiles^[source]	Long-range surface-to-air missile^[source]
Place of origin	China^[source]	India^[source]
In service	late 1980s – present^[source]	2028 (planned)^[source]

FORCETALLY

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Used by	Primary user: China See Operators section for others^[source]	Indian Air Force (on order) Indian Navy (planned)^[source]

Manufacturer	Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology^[source]	Radars and control systems Bharat Electronics Missiles Bharat Dynamics Limited Solar Industries^[source]

Produced	since late 1980s^[source]	—

Warhead	33 kg warhead^[source]	High explosives , fragmentation^[source]

Detonation mechanism	impact / proximity^[source]	Optical proximity fuze , hit-to-kill^[source]

Engine	rocket motor^[source]	Dual pulse rocket motor + booster^[source]

Propellant	solid fuel^[source]	Solid fuel^[source]

Guidance system	SARH / ARH^[source]	Mid-course: INS + GNSS -assisted mid-course adjustment Terminal: AESA mmWave RF / IIR hybrid^[source]

Launch platform	Air & surface^[source]	Transporter Erector Launcher^[source]

Designer	—	Defence Research and Development Laboratory Bharat Electronics^[source]

Designed	—	2023 - present^[source]

Flight altitude	—	30 km (98,000 ft)^[source]

Source measurement	—	The missile system might be used to bridge the gap between the MR-SAM (80 km) and S-400 (400 km). It is being developed as an area-defence system. The Indian Air Force will be the lead agency for this air defence system.^[source]Project Kusha · Development; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage The seekers are being developed by Research Centre Imarat , while the Defence Research and Development Laboratory is in charge of interceptor development. As of August 2024, DRDO was about to start the fabrication process of 5 M1 missiles (range of 150 km). DRDO has also placed order for 20 sets of airframes, 20 sets of rocket motors, 50 sets of kill vehicles (warhead), onboard & ground transceivers for telemetry . The missiles are expected to begin testing in early 2025.^[source]Project Kusha · Development; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage The maiden test of the missile system was conducted on 23 July 2026 from the Launch Complex IV (LC-IV) of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at the Abdul Kalam Island . The missile was fired against an electronic target simulating high-speed and high-altitude aerial adversaries. The system's performance envelope was validated by the interceptor's successful kill beyond 142 km, despite the intended engagement distance of 120 km.^[source]Project Kusha · Trials; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage The missile system, often compared to Russia's S-400 missile system , includes three variants of interceptor missiles, designated M1, M2 and M3. The missiles will have ranges of 150 km (93 mi), 250 km (160 mi) and 350–400 km (220–250 mi), respectively. While all the variants will share the same kill vehicle, they will have different boosters to meet different ranges. This system will also feature advanced long-range surveillance and fire control radars. The air defence system will be capable of detecting and destroying enemy assets like cruise missiles , hypersonic weapons , stealth fighter jets, and drones at around 250 km range and larger aircraft like airborne early warning and control at a range of 350 km.^[source]Project Kusha · Design; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage Gallium nitride transmit-receive modules (T/R modules) and digital beam-forming will be used in Project Kusha's S-band Long Range Battle Management Radar to provide an expanded surveillance coverage beyond 500 km against airborne threats. The 360-degree rotating S-band AESA radar will be more resistant to electronic jamming, have better target resolution against low- RCS threats, and will reject clutter more effectively.^[source]Project Kusha · Design; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage The development of a long-range naval version that can intercept anti-ship ballistic missile hitting up to Mach 7 is underway, with a range of more than 250 km (160 mi). According to DRDO, the interceptor missile will prioritize saturation strikes above single-target precision alone, with a single-shot kill probability of over 80 percent, and above 90 percent in coordinated salvo engagements.^[source]Project Kusha · Design; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Source measurement

—

The missile system might be used to bridge the gap between the MR-SAM (80 km) and S-400 (400 km). It is being developed as an area-defence system. The Indian Air Force will be the lead agency for this air defence system.^[source]Project Kusha · Development; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

The seekers are being developed by Research Centre Imarat , while the Defence Research and Development Laboratory is in charge of interceptor development. As of August 2024, DRDO was about to start the fabrication process of 5 M1 missiles (range of 150 km). DRDO has also placed order for 20 sets of airframes, 20 sets of rocket motors, 50 sets of kill vehicles (warhead), onboard & ground transceivers for telemetry . The missiles are expected to begin testing in early 2025.^[source]Project Kusha · Development; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

The maiden test of the missile system was conducted on 23 July 2026 from the Launch Complex IV (LC-IV) of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at the Abdul Kalam Island . The missile was fired against an electronic target simulating high-speed and high-altitude aerial adversaries. The system's performance envelope was validated by the interceptor's successful kill beyond 142 km, despite the intended engagement distance of 120 km.^[source]Project Kusha · Trials; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

The missile system, often compared to Russia's S-400 missile system , includes three variants of interceptor missiles, designated M1, M2 and M3. The missiles will have ranges of 150 km (93 mi), 250 km (160 mi) and 350–400 km (220–250 mi), respectively. While all the variants will share the same kill vehicle, they will have different boosters to meet different ranges. This system will also feature advanced long-range surveillance and fire control radars. The air defence system will be capable of detecting and destroying enemy assets like cruise missiles , hypersonic weapons , stealth fighter jets, and drones at around 250 km range and larger aircraft like airborne early warning and control at a range of 350 km.^[source]Project Kusha · Design; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Gallium nitride transmit-receive modules (T/R modules) and digital beam-forming will be used in Project Kusha's S-band Long Range Battle Management Radar to provide an expanded surveillance coverage beyond 500 km against airborne threats. The 360-degree rotating S-band AESA radar will be more resistant to electronic jamming, have better target resolution against low- RCS threats, and will reject clutter more effectively.^[source]Project Kusha · Design; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

The development of a long-range naval version that can intercept anti-ship ballistic missile hitting up to Mach 7 is underway, with a range of more than 250 km (160 mi). According to DRDO, the interceptor missile will prioritize saturation strikes above single-target precision alone, with a single-shot kill probability of over 80 percent, and above 90 percent in coordinated salvo engagements.^[source]Project Kusha · Design; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Reported operators	Reported operator · China Reported operator · Ethiopia Reported operator · Morocco Reported operator · Sudan Reported operator · Pakistan	Reported operator · Indian Air Force Reported operator · Indian Navy