FJ ABM
The Fan Ji anti-ballistic missile was the missile used in the HQ-81 ABM system, which was the land-based component of the 640-1 ABMS project. It, in turn, was part of the Chinese 640 ABMS project in the 1960s. Although the project was cancelled in March 1980, the experience gained helped China with its later ABMS development.
640
The origin of FJ ABM traces back to December 15, 1963, when Chairman Mao Zedong first initiated the idea. On February 2, 1964, the formal requirement was issued. Also in 1964, the 2nd Academy of the 7th Ministry of Machinery Industry, also known as the Ministry of Aerospace Industry, began to work on the proposal and to establish programs at the same time. A plan outlining the missile defence weapon development submitted by the Chinese Commission for Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense was approved in August 1965. Subsequently, the project was formally named Project 640, because the requirement was formally issued in 1964.However, Project 640 was seriously disrupted by political turmoil in China, namely the Cultural Revolution that erupted in 1966. Further complications arose due to the complexity of the project. In August 1969, the project was reorganized into several major sections, each with its own design function. Project 640 was divided into space-borne systems, which included CK-1, ELINT satellite, and FW-1 anti-satellite, and land-based systems. The land-based systems were further divided into five different sections, including: Project 640-5 a study on the re-entry of warheads of ballistic missiles, Project 640-4 the early warning radar, Type 640-3 a laser gun research project, Project 640-2, the ABM super gun designated as Vanguard, and Project 640-1, the ABM missile system along with other supporting infrastructure, the primary portion of Project 640. On August 14, 1969, Zhou Enlai reassigned the 201st Institute of the 7th Ministry of Machinery Industry as the primary contractor of Project 640-2, assisted by the 1410th Institute of the Ministry of Electronic Industry, and the 2nd Academy of 7th Ministry of Machinery Industry as the primary contractor of Project 640-1.
640-1
Project 640-1 included the construction of a hypersonic wind tunnel with a half meter diameter. Constructed in the 1960s, it is still in use today, long after the cancellation of Project 640, for later missile and satellite programs, such as JL-1 and JL-2.Project 640-1 was located in Yunnan, where one of the huge radar sites was located, and COSTIND Base # 24, located in Kunming, the provincial capital, where most research was done. The base was kept secret for decades long after the cancellation of Project 640. It was not fully declassified until the 2010s.
HQ-81
HQ-81 was the ABMS of Project 640-1, consisting of Type 715 engagement radar, FJ series missiles and other fire control systems. During deployment, HQ-81 system would operate with information received from satellite and radar.One of the achievements of HQ-81 is the S-7 vehicle-mounted field computer. It was used for many other Chinese missiles developed after Project 640 was cancelled, such as the DF-5. The need for such a large computer was due to the calculations needed for the FJ series missiles and its Type 715 fire control radar, as well as other information provided by sources such as Type 110 and Type 7010 radar, and the CK-1 ELINT satellite.
CK-1 ELINT satellite
The CK-1 ELINT satellite provided an early warning of an all-out attack by the former USSR. The primary contractor was the Shanghai Steam Turbine Factory, the predecessor of the current which newly formed a 701st Department on October 31, 1969, specially for Shanghai 4101 Project—the CK-1 program. The Huayi Electronics Factory, the predecessor of the current was tasked to design the computer on board CK-1.CK-1 was designed to intercept Soviet radar and air defense network signals, and communication signals. The intelligence gathered would be downlinked to the Chinese military for analysis to detect any signs of a surprise attack. Although an attack never occurred, the intelligence gathered was nonetheless valuable, and the experience gained was used on later Chinese spy satellites. As with other Chinese military programs, CK-1 also suffered due to the Cultural Revolution. After the first two launches on September 18, 1973, and July 12, 1974, ended in failure, the following three launches using Feng Bao 1 rockets on July 26, 1975, December 16, 1975 and August 30, 1976, were successful.
Type 7010 radar
In addition to receiving intelligence from the CK-1 ELINT satellite, the primary early warning of the HQ-81 ABMS was the massive Type 7010 passive electronically scanned array radar. The general designer of Type 7010 radar was Mr. Shen Zhongyi, who was also the general designer of another radar used by the HQ-81 ABMS, Type 110. Mr. Shen Zhongyi was the head and the general designer of the 14th Research Institute at Nanjing, and the deputy director of the 10th Academy of the Ministry of National Defense of the People's Republic of China. Under his leadership, all radar of the HQ-81 ABMS of Project 640 were developed at the 14th Institute.The Type 7010 passive phased array radar program began in May 1970, and installation work on the mountain above sea level began in 1972, on the northern slope of the Mongolian Gazelle Mountain in Zhuolu County. In 1974, the radar was rushed into operation even before its completion, which did not occur until 1976. It received state certification in the following year. The radar antenna array has a width of and a height of, with a total of 8,976 transceivers. The peak power is 10 gigawatts, with an average power of 200 kW, and a range in excess of.
Type 110 radar
Another long-range tracking radar of HQ-81 ABMS of Project 640 is the Type 110 monopulse radar for long range precision tracking. Work first began in 1959 for Project 110 simulation experimental radar after the order was given in 1958. From 1965 to 1970 more research was conducted, including the incorporation of Cassegrain antenna. When the Type 110 radar finally entered service in 1977, the system weighed more than, with an antenna diameter in excess of. The radome of the Type 110 was made of fiberglass. At the time of its completion, it was the largest structure of its kind in the world, with a height of over and a diameter of over at the base. The range of the Type 110 radar is in excess of. It is located in Yunnan. The Type 110 radar remains in operation today as a primary tool for space exploration.FJ-1
The FJ-1 was the most important member of the FJ series ABM. The name FJ-1 was often used to replace HQ-81. The missile was long, weighed around, and was launched at 50-degree angle. Originally adopting two-stage liquid rocket motors, it was later improved to have one solid rocket motor and one liquid motor. It takes about 20 minutes for the missile to be loaded on the launcher from the transportation truck. In February 1966, three rounds of a scaled-down version of FJ-1 for trials were completed. They were successfully tested between February 19 and February 29, 1966.As with all Chinese projects at the time, FJ-1 was seriously delayed by the political turmoil of the Cultural Revolution. In April 1972, production batch 01 consisting of two FJ-1s was finally completed. However, on May 15, 1972, during tests in Kunming, both rounds exploded in the sky, resulting in the test failing. Although measures were taken, it was not until August and September 1978, when the next batch were successfully tested. In the trials the warheads of both the ballistic missile and the FJ-1 were replaced by dummy warheads filled with instrumentation. Despite the successful trial, the political climate change in China spelled doom for the FJ-1, which was finally cancelled on March 9, 1980, marking the end of the entire Project 640.