QW-2 (CH-SA-8)

The QW-2 (Qianwei-2) is a second-generation Chinese man-portable air-defense system (MANPADS) designed to engage low-flying aircraft and helicopters. It features a dual-band infrared/ultraviolet (IR/UV) seeker for enhanced resistance to infrared countermeasures.

Developed by the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC) in the late 1990s, the QW-2 was designed to succeed the QW-1 and bridge the technological gap with contemporary Western and Russian MANPADS like the FIM-92 Stinger and 9K38 Igla. The system was first publicly revealed at the 1998 Farnborough Airshow and entered active service with the People's Liberation Army (PLA) shortly after. Beyond domestic use, the QW-2 was widely exported to nations in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, seeing combat deployment in various regional conflicts, including the Syrian Civil War and clashes in Yemen. Today, the QW-2 remains a staple of China's low-altitude air defense arsenal and has been licensed for foreign production, serving as the technological foundation for subsequent iterations in the Qianwei series.