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China’s latest FN-16 man-portable air defense system (MANPADS) has made a surprise appearance in Ukraine with Kiev forces.
Photos showing a soldier from one of the air defense units of Ukraine’s 160th Mechanized Brigade armed with the MANPADS survived online on May 13.
The FN-16 was developed by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology. It features an infrared, ultraviolet dual-spectrum seeker with better all-aspect attack capability and better resistance against electronic countermeasures. It has an engagement range of six kilometers, and an altitude of four kilometers.
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It is unclear how exactly Ukraine received the MANPADS. One possibility is that they were supplied by Pakistan, Bangladesh or Cambodia, which are the only known operators other than China.
Another possibility is that the United States supplied the FN-16s to Ukraine after seizing a shipment of the system somewhere.
Last month CNN reported, citing U.S. intelligence assessments, that China is preparing to deliver new air defenses, specifically MANPADS, to Iran in a matter of weeks. SouthFront speculated at the time that the systems in question could be the FN-16.
Soon after the report, President Donald Trump said that the military intercepted a ship carrying a “gift” to the Islamic Republic from China.
While there is no evidence backing this theory, the fact that Ukraine openly showed off the new MANPADS indicates that it didn’t get them by its own efforts.
Still, it is important to note that this is not the first time Kiev forces have been spotted with Chinese-made MANPADS. Just last year, Ukrainian soldiers were seen armed with FN-6, an older version of the FN-16 but still very capable. Although the FN-6 features an older generation infrared homing seeker, it still has a very similar engagement range and altitude to the FN-16.
The FN-6 is more widely available, especially in the Middle East and North Africa where it could even be found on the black market.
In any case, the fact that such advanced MANPADS are already finding their way to Ukraine, whose black market mainly exports to Europe, is very worrying to say the least.
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