Pakistani missile research and development program: Difference between revisions

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[[File:Babur cruise missile 3.jpg|thumb|250px|right|{{small|The ''Babur'' in Pakistani military markings being showcased in Karachi in 2006.}}]]

Development on understanding and developing cruise missile technology began when India started its [[Indian Ballistic Missile Defence Programme|missile defense program]] in 1998. During the tense environment, the development of cruise missile was started with India acquiring the [[S-300 missile system|S-300 ''Grumble'']] from [[Russia]] while attempting to negotiate with the United States to induct the [[MIM-104 Patriot|Patriot PAC-3]] to supplement its ''Grumble'' system— all of these development had adversely affected Pakistan's land-based deterrence mechanism.{{rp|388}}<ref name="Stanford University Press, Khan, 2012">{{cite book |last1=Khan |first1=Feroz |title=Eating Grass: The Making of the Pakistani Bomb |date=7 November 2012 |publisher=Stanford University Press |isbn=978-0-8047-8480-1 |pages=500 |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Eating_Grass/yGgrNAsKZjEC?hl=en&gbpv=1 |access-date=13 October 2023 |language=en}}</ref>

In 2005 the [[Babur (cruise missile)|Hatf VII ''Babur'']] ground-launched [[cruise missile]] was revealed in a public test-firing. Early versions had a range of 500&nbsp;km but later a 700&nbsp;km variant was tested. In September 2012 a new launch vehicle was tested, as well as a new command and control system named the Strategic Command and Control Support System. It was stated that the SCCSS would give "decision-makers at the National Command Centre robust command and control capability of all strategic assets with round the clock situational awareness in a digitised network-centric environment." It was also stated that the Babur's guidance system uses [[TERCOM|terrain contour matching (TERCOM)]] and [[TERCOM#DSMAC|digital scene matching and area co-relation (DSMAC)]] techniques to achieve accuracy described as "pin-point".<ref>{{cite news| url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-09-17/pakistan/33901443_1_nuclear-capable-hatf-vii-terrain-contour | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120918122437/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-09-17/pakistan/33901443_1_nuclear-capable-hatf-vii-terrain-contour | url-status=dead | archive-date=2012-09-18 | work=[[The Times of India]] | title=Pakistan test-fires nuclear-capable Babur missile with 700&nbsp;km range}}</ref> The new launch vehicle, a MAZ transporter erector launcher, is armed with three missile rounds launched vertically.

For Pakistan, it took years until [[2005 in Pakistan|2005]] to make its cruise missile program feasible when [[Babur (cruise missile)| ''Babur'']] (Pakistani military designation: ''Hatf-VII'') was test-fired by the army, amid surprising the [[United States]].<ref>{{cite news| url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-09-17/pakistan/33901443_1_nuclear-capable-hatf-vii-terrain-contour | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120918122437/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-09-17/pakistan/33901443_1_nuclear-capable-hatf-vii-terrain-contour | url-status=dead | archive-date=2012-09-18 | work=[[The Times of India]] | title=Pakistan test-fires nuclear-capable Babur missile with 700&nbsp;km range}}</ref> In 2007, the Pakistan announced the development and test-firing of [[Ra'ad|''Ra'ad'']] (Pakistani military designation: ''Hatf-VIII''), which validates the air-launched capability of Pakistan's cruse missiles.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/article3492864.ece | title=Pak test fires Hatf VII nuclear missile | date=5 June 2012 | ___location=Chennai, India | work=The Hindu}}</ref>

In 2007 the [[Ra'ad|Hatf VIII ''Ra'ad'']], an air-launched cruise missile (ALCM) was revealed in a test by the [[Pakistan Air Force]]. It has a stated range of 350&nbsp;km.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/article3492864.ece | title=Pak test fires Hatf VII nuclear missile | date=5 June 2012 | ___location=Chennai, India | work=The Hindu}}</ref> A flight test on 31 May 2012 was stated to have validated integration with the new Strategic Command and Control Support System (SCCSS), stated to be capable of remotely monitoring the missile's flight path in real time.<ref name="ainonline.com"/> It can avoid radar detection due to its low altitude trajectory.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dawn.com/news/1234015/pakistan-successfully-tests-raad-cruise-missile-ispr|title=Pakistan successfully tests Ra'ad cruise missile: ISPR|work=dawn.com|date=19 January 2016 |access-date=20 January 2016}}</ref>

In 2017, Pakistan conducted a successful launch of the ''Babur-III'' missile from an underwater mobile platform– a long desired and sought-after capability for the Navy that it effectively established Pakistan's [[second-strike capability]] from sea.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-pakistan-missiles-idUSKBN14T1EL|title=Pakistan fires 'first submarine-launched nuclear-capable missile'|date=10 January 2017|access-date=26 July 2017|newspaper=Reuters}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://arynews.tv/en/pakistan-test-fires-first-submarine-launched-cruise-missile-babur-3/|title=Pakistan test-fires first submarine cruise missile Babur-3|website=AryNews.tv|date=9 January 2017|access-date=26 July 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-38563330|title=Pakistan 'launches first cruise missile from submarine'|work=BBC News|date=9 January 2017|access-date=26 July 2017}}</ref>

==See also==