Two portable air defense missiles precisely strike the stealth fighter target drone in the night sky at the same time. Photo: Screenshot from the CCTV News military channelA video released by state media on Saturday showed how Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Army soldiers, through coordinated teamwork, can use portable air defense missiles to shoot down stealth fighters, detailing the training and the principles behind it.
An expert said this example demonstrates the PLA's capability to counter high-value targets with low-cost equipment through systematic coordination, noting this tactic would be a good addition to the broader system of the PLA's anti-stealth capabilities.
During the live-fire verification exercise featured in the CCTV News military channel video, teams conducted coordinated firing using man-portable air-defense systems (MANPADS) and HQ-16 air defense missiles. The HQ-16 engaged the majority of incoming targets, leaving the stealth fighter to the portable missiles.
The video explained that in real combat, large air defense missiles are mostly radar-guided, but radar has difficulty detecting stealth fighters, which is precisely why stealth aircraft can operate with near impunity. Portable missiles, however, use infrared guidance that tracks heat sources, which can actually increase the probability of detecting such targets.
The use of infrared guidance to strike stealth aircraft also drew attention in early 2026. In March, Iran reportedly shot down an F-35 fighter, with analysis suggesting that Tehran likely used infrared detection technology to hit the aircraft, challenging the myth of the F-35's stealth invincibility.
However, using portable missiles to shoot down stealth fighters is no easy task, said the CCTV video. Due to their much shorter range compared with large air defense missiles, the operators must quickly move to positions where the stealth fighter is likely to appear and launch the missiles when the aircraft is closest to them.
Moreover, this type of engagement requires extremely high synchronization between the two operators. Since portable missiles are infrared-guided and highly sensitive to heat sources, if the launches are not synchronized, the later missile might lock onto the earlier one as a target, the video explained.
The video noted that the two operators had been conducting synchronization training and are now fully ready. Upon command, two missiles streaked across the night sky and simultaneously struck the target drone with precision.
The portable missile unit's flawless performance marked the completion of its first experimental tactical exercise, making it possible to use portable missiles against stealth fighters on future battlefields, commented the video.
This coordinated drill demonstrates that through proper coordination within the air defense system, low-cost equipment can indeed unlock new combat value and pose a certain counterbalance to high-value stealth targets, Song Zhongping, a Chinese military affairs expert, told the Global Times on Sunday.
To detect stealth targets, the HQ-16 field air defense system requires multiple detection units to conduct continuous, uninterrupted scanning of the same direction. This multi-static array deployment can exploit loopholes in stealth, such as the fact that stealth is not omnidirectional. Therefore, making use of multi-directional detection can increase the probability of finding a target. Portable missiles, meanwhile, serve as an important supplement to the radar-guided system. The combination of the two can indeed engage stealth targets, Song explained.
Song also noted that this shows the mature nature of the PLA's data link and information fusion systems. However, as the video shows, this is no easy feat, it requires a high degree of coordination and skilled operational techniques.
The expert also emphasized that using portable missiles against stealth fighters is just one part of the PLA's anti-stealth system. There are other non-MANPADS infrared-guided missiles and other guidance mechanisms that also contribute to anti-stealth capabilities.
Anti-stealth capability development is a multi-channel, multi-dimensional systems engineering effort. At the detection level, in addition to multi-band radar deployment, other technical approaches include passive radar, lidar and future quantum radar, all of which can effectively detect and lock onto stealth targets. Meanwhile, airborne early warning aircraft represent another critical component of the PLA's anti-stealth capability, providing surveillance and command guidance over a wider airspace, Song said.
This multi-dimensional integrated anti-stealth capability is a key direction for future air defense system development, Song added.
。 8月22日，2026年黄河流域找矿突破与生态修复技术发展大会在济南举行。图为大会现场。周艺伟摄　　与会嘉宾现场围绕新一轮找矿突破战略行动与黄河流域生态保护修复中的重大科技问题和产业发展需求，展开深入研讨，为推动黄河流域生态保护重大国家战略贡献智慧。　　中国科学院地质与地球物理研究所研究员滕吉文长期致力于地球深部结构与矿产资源探测研究。他在作题为《白氢：可能成为世界上颇具前景的清洁新能源》的主旨报告时表示，拥有采矿和钻探技术的单位具备寻找白氢的良好优势，可以加大在这一领域的探索。同时，科技人员也需要和多部门加强沟通交流，协同创新攻坚。图为大会主旨演讲环节。周艺伟摄　　“矿产资源是人类生存与社会发展的重要物质基础。”中国科学院地质与地球物理研究所研究员刘嘉麒表示，中国资源不足的基本国情长期存在，对矿产资源和能源的需求大，要加大地质找矿探测力度和投入，同时要改变传统观念，以创新促创业，发现新资源，拓展新产业，因地制宜发展新质生产力。

B | 　　中国地质大学(北京)教授莫宣学在现场分享了“大型—超大型矿床成矿背景—过程—矿床评价三位一体的实践与思考”。他说，实现“三位一体”就是将地球动力学背景、成矿过程研究所揭示的成矿规律由定性转化为定量，用数学地球科学的方法技术，实现大型—超大型矿床准确有效的勘查评价。大会现场，与会嘉宾聆听会议。周艺伟摄　　澳大利亚阿德莱德大学教授诸葛燕在绿色材料、超高性能材料等方面的创新研究和实践成果丰硕，是环境科学与生态保护领域国际知名专家。她围绕“净水污泥‘炼’出自愈合混凝土”做了主旨报告。