The M-7 (CSS-8/Project 8610) is a short-range, road-mobile, solid propellant ballistic missile. It is a member of the “M” family of missiles, which were developed specifically for export. The M-7 was derived from the Soviet S-75 (SA-2) surface-to-air missile (SAM) that was sold to China in the late 1950s. Chinese scientists reverse engineered the S-75 into a domestically produced variant called the HQ-1. The Chinese later developed an improved version, the HQ-2, which became the basis for the M-7. This development program was called Project 8610. It was probably selected for development as an export platform because the majority of the cost of its development had already been sustained by the Soviet Union, offering a higher marginal profit per unit. An added advantage is that client nations typically have existing support infrastructure for the ubiquitous S-75, which can then be used for the M-7.

The M-7 can deploy its payload to any range between 50 and 150 km (31 and 93 miles). Its payload is typically equipped with a single 190 or 250 kg HE warhead. It is probable that submunitions and chemical agent warheads exist to increase battlefield effectiveness. The missile is 10.8 m in length, has a maximum diameter of 0.65 m and has a launch weight of 2,650 kg. The missile uses an inertial guidance system that receives command updates from the launcher; however, its accuracy is unknown. The accuracy is probably in the area of 50 or 100 m CEP, given that it is a short-range and relatively modern system. It uses a two-stage solid propellant engine.

The M-7 became operational in 1992. Since then, an estimated 5,000 HQ-2 surface-to-air missiles were produced, and it is possible that anywhere between 100 and 500 HQ-2 SAMs were converted to M-7 ballistic missiles. It is believed that the PRC exported around 90 M-7 missiles to Iran in 1992 and 110 more a few years later. These missiles became known as the Tondar 69. The M-7 is essentially obsolete by Chinese standards, and it is unlikely that the missile remains in service in China. ¹