FJ ABM

FJ-1/2/3
Type	Surface-to-air missile / Anti-ballistic missile
Place of origin	China
Service history
In service	1970's to Mar 9, 1980
Used by	China
Production history
Produced	Aug 1969 to Mar 9, 1980
Specifications
Weight	≈ 10 ton
Length	≈ 14 meter
Diameter	> 1 m
Detonation mechanism	Impact / Proximity
Engine	two stage rockets
Propellant	solid & liquid rockets
Operational range	50 km
Flight ceiling	40 km
Flight altitude	20 - 40 km
Speed	≈ Mach hypersonic
Guidance system	SARH
Launch platform	land-based

Fan Ji (反击, meaning counter strike) anti-ballistic missile (FJ ABM) was the missile used in the HQ-81 ABM system (ABMS), which was the land based component of 640-1 ABMS project, which in turn, was part of the Chinese 640 ABMS project in the 1960s. Although the project was cancelled in Mar 1980's, the experience gained had helped China in later ABMS development.

The origin of FJ ABM traces back to December 15, 1963, when Mao Zedong first initiated the idea, and on February 2, 1964, the formal requirement was issued. Also in 1964, the 2nd Academy of the 7th Ministry of Machinery Industry (currently the 2nd Academy of China Aerospace Science & Industry Corporation(CASIC)), also known as the Ministry of Aerospace Industry, begun to work on proposal and establish programs at the same time. A plan outlining the missile defence weapon development submitted by Chinese Commission for Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense (COSTIND) was approved in August 1965, and subsequently, the project was formally named as Project 640 (640工程), because the requirement was formally issued in 1964.

However Project 640 was gravely disrupted by political turmoil in China, namely, the Cultural Revolution that erupted in 1966. Further complication arose due to the complexity of the project, so in August 1969, the project was reorganized into several major portions, each with its own designing establishment. Project 640 was divided into space-borne systems, which included CK-1 (长空一号 meaning Vast Sky # 1, with CK = Chang Kong) ELINT satellite and FW-1 (反卫一号, meaning anti-satellite # 1 with FW = Fai Wei) anti-satellite, and land-based systems. The land base systems were further divided into 5 different portions, including Project 640-5: study on the re-entry of warheads of ballistic missiles, Project 640-4: the early warning radars, Type 640-3: the laser gun research project, Project 640-2, the ABM super gun designated as Vanguard (Xianfeng 先锋), 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 7th Ministry of Machinery Industry became 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.