Pakistan Unveils New Air Defense System With Turkish and Chinese Technology

Pakistan has showcased a new layered short-range air defense architecture combining Chinese missile technology with Turkish air defense and counter-drone systems.

The systems appeared in a Pakistan Air Force video released in September 2026, highlighting the country’s growing focus on protection against drones, loitering munitions and other low-altitude aerial threats. Recent defense reports identified the Chinese HQ-17AE, Türkiye’s ASELSAN KORKUT 35mm air defense gun and the ASELSAN ŞAHİN 40mm counter-drone system.

Three Main Systems in the New Defense Architecture

The emerging Pakistani short-range air defense network brings together systems designed to operate at different engagement distances.

• HQ-17AE: a Chinese mobile short-range surface-to-air missile system designed to engage low-flying aerial targets.
• KORKUT 35mm: a Turkish self-propelled air defense gun developed by ASELSAN for short-range protection against aerial threats.
• ŞAHİN 40mm: a Turkish counter-UAS system designed specifically to detect and engage small drones.

Defense publications have described the combination as a layered approach in which different weapons can be used depending on the type and distance of an incoming target.

How the Layered System Works

The basic concept is to avoid relying on a single weapon against every aerial threat. Instead, missiles and gun-based systems can provide several defensive layers around protected facilities.

The HQ-17AE forms the missile component of the architecture, while KORKUT and ŞAHİN provide increasingly close-range gun-based protection. Published defense analyses place KORKUT at an effective range of roughly 4 kilometres and ŞAHİN at around 700 metres, although actual operational parameters can depend on the configuration and engagement conditions.

Türkiye’s KORKUT and ŞAHİN Systems

The appearance of KORKUT in the Pakistan Air Force video provides public evidence that the Turkish-made system has entered Pakistan’s air defense inventory. KORKUT uses twin 35mm automatic cannons and programmable ammunition designed for engaging low-altitude targets.

The ŞAHİN 40mm system is intended for the close-in counter-drone role. It combines sensors and automated fire control with 40mm airburst ammunition, allowing it to engage small unmanned aerial vehicles at short range.

Chinese HQ-17AE Adds a Missile Layer

The HQ-17AE is a mobile short-range surface-to-air missile system. Published information describes it as a system intended to counter aircraft, helicopters, cruise missiles and certain unmanned aerial threats, particularly at low altitude.

The system was visible in the Pakistan Air Force material, although Pakistan did not provide extensive public details about the number of systems acquired or their operational deployment. Some reports noted that Chinese sources identified the system while the Pakistani video itself did not name it.

Why Drone Defense Is Becoming a Priority

The growing use of relatively inexpensive drones and loitering munitions has increased demand for short-range air defense systems that can deal with multiple types of targets.

Gun-based systems such as KORKUT can provide an alternative to using more expensive surface-to-air missiles against relatively low-cost targets. A layered architecture can therefore give operators more options when responding to different aerial threats.

Pakistan’s Growing Defense Cooperation With Türkiye and China

The new air defense architecture also highlights Pakistan’s cooperation with two major defense partners. Chinese systems remain an important part of Pakistan’s military equipment, while Turkish defense technology has expanded into areas including unmanned systems and short-range air defense.

The latest public display suggests that Pakistan is seeking to combine technologies from both partners within a broader integrated air defense structure. However, the exact number of systems, their deployment locations and the extent of their operational integration have not been publicly detailed.

The September 2026 showcase therefore offers an indication of Pakistan’s evolving approach to low-altitude air defense, while further information will be needed to assess the full capabilities of the new network.