Acquiring highly advanced missile technology is one of the important parts of Pakistan's defense strategy, just to gain a conventional military advantage against the eastern rival, India. It develops an immense amount of modern short and medium-range ballistic missiles with that significant enhancement in cruise missile balancing the domain of missile arsenal.
And is now working on highly advanced technology (MIRV) to counter upcoming threats against the enemy. Pakistan and China both are strategic allies and collaboratively work in every sector. In terms of defense technology sharing, technical assistance, and threat deterrence, or so forth.
We've seen how much India spends on their military especially developing missile system, a matter of concern not for Pakistan but also for the region and their policy is simple, acquiring missile is not an option but a compulsion for Pakistan. If the sovereignty of Pakistan came under threat it'll not compromise on it. Some glimpse we had witnessed during Feb 2019 adventure.
Let's analyze the main Missile Arsenals of Pakistan.
Shaheen III:
Shaheem-III is a land-based Medium-Range Ballistic Missile with an operational range of 2,750km, it can carry both conventional and nuclear warheads. It was first tested on 9 March 2015, later it was tested again on 21 Jan 2021, aimed to re-validate the weapon system's several design and technical parameters. It is the longest-range missile developed by Pakistan.
After the Agni-III test, Pakistan secretly initiated the Shaheen-III program early in the 2000s, its range able the missile to reach all corners of India and also was informed to reach deep into some parts of North Africa.
As per a former DG of Pakistan's Strategic Plans Division, the missile is "designed to reach Indian islands so that India cannot use them as strategic bases to establish a second-strike capability."
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| Shaheen-III Reaches |
Ababeel:
Ababeel is second on the list, it is a surface to surface medium-range ballistic missile, reportedly carrying Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicles (MIRVs). It was revealed after a successful test on January 24, 2017, its targeted range is 2,200km with solid fuel propulsion and it also carries a conventional or nuclear warhead.
The basic characteristics of Ababeel share a resemblance with Pakistan's other MRBMs, such as the Shaheen-II & III or Chinese CSS-7 SRBM, it was reported by BBC that Pakistani engineers with Chinese assistance make that advanced stages of developing MIRV technology, the technology that allows a single missile to carry multiple warheads, each individually programmed to attack different targets.
According to the ISPR office, the development of a MIRV capable missile is "aimed at ensuring survivability of Pakistan's ballistic missiles in the growing regional Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) environment."
Shaheen-II (Hatf-6):
The Shaheen-II is a land-based supersonic surface-to-surface medium-range guided missile with an operational range of 2,200km and 300km flight altitude. The test-fired for the first time on 9 March 2004 and again on 13 November 2014. Capable of carrying convention or non-conventional payloads.
Ghauri-II (Hatf-5A):
It is also a surface to surface guided medium-range ballistic missile developed by Kahuta Research Laboratory (KRL) with an extended range of 2000km, it's development took place in response to the Indian Agni-II missile. The missile uses a single-stage liquid propellant rocket motor.
Development on Ghauri-II Missile remains kept on the secret until the whole project complete under KRL, and few details were made to the public in 1999. Its officially tested on 14 April 1999.
Ghauri-I (Hatf-V):
The Ghauri-I codename Hatf-V is a medium-range liquid-fuel ballistic missile with a range of 1,500km. It can carry a 700kg warhead up to 1,500km. The first flight test of Hatf-V occurred in 1998 and entered service in 2003.
Accuracy of Hatf-V was reported to 2,500m, however, with a Chinese integrated guidance system the CEP could be more accurate than reported. The missile project was completed as a result of the collaboration of North Korea.
Ghaznavi (Hatf-III):
It is a surface to surface SRBM, a solid-fueled ballistic missile, designed and developed by National Development Complex Pakistan. Its inertial guidance system provides an accuracy of 250m circular error probable (CEP).
It can carry a single warhead up to 700kg with an approx range of 290km. The first flight test of the Hatf-III occurred in May 2002 and entered operational service in 2004, since then several tests took place in June and December of 2006, February 2008, and May 2010.
Abdali (Hatf-II):
The Abdali (official codename: Hatf-II) is a supersonic and tactical SRBM designed and developed by Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO), and remain in service since 2002. It has a range of 190km with an accuracy of 150m CEP. It has a launch weight of about 1,750kg.
Nasr (Hatf-IX):
Nasr or Hatf-IX is a solid-fueled tactical ballistic missile, the system described as a "Multi-tube Ballistic Missile" because the system design to launch multiple missie on an occasion. It has a short range of 70km with a maximum speed of Mach6.
Some experts seem the system a 'low-yield battlefield deterrent" targeted at "mobilized forces like armed brigades and divisions." Therefore, it is believed by some analysts the system is deployed to deter and respond to India's "Cold Start" doctrine. With this system, Pakistan maintains deterrence value, at shorter ranges, with high precision and accuracy, shoot and scoot attributes for quick response.
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