Smog has only a limited impact on air-based anti-aircraft weapons, because the optoelectronic equipment that drives the air-based weapons is less susceptible to smog than ground-based photovoltaic equipment, a defense expert was quoted as saying by a military newspaper.

The expert, Zhao Guoqing, offered the examples of Russian S-300 air defense missile launchers, the U.S. Patriot air and missile defense system, and most cannon-aiming systems. According to Zhao, these pieces of equipment are basically undisturbed by smog, even at its most severe, because they are able to effectively avoid atmospheric disturbances like rain, snow, clouds, haze and even smoke grenades.

Zhao noted that unmanned aerial vehicles will be able to effectively conduct air surveillance and battle in smoggy areas in the future.

Smog primarily reduces visibility at an altitude of up to 3 kilometers above the ground, where human activity is densest, Zhao explained. However, heavy smog is liable to weaken the detection and target functions of short-range weapons by shrinking their range, Zhao noted.