Pakistan’s new cruise missile

Pakistan’s new cruise missile

התמונה ששחרר ISPR

This post is also available in: heעברית (Hebrew)

Image released by ISPR
Image released by ISPR

Pakistan tests another self-developed cruise missile.

Reportedly, last Monday (local time), Pakistan conducted a successful flight test of the indigenously developed Air Launched Cruise Missile (ALCM) Ra’ad. This, according to a report by ISPR (Inter-Services Public Relations), a military media brand of the Pakistani Armed Forces.

’Ra’ad’, meaning ’thunder’, is the title of the 13th sura (chapter) in the Quran. It is not to be confused with the similarly named military equipment developed by Iran, ranging from air defense systems through cruise missiles, to anti-tank missiles.

In what is believed to be the system’s fifth successful scheduled flight test, the cruise missile was launched from an undisclosed location in Pakistan.

With a range of 350 kilometers, the Ra’ad missile enables Pakistan to achieve strategic standoff capability both on land and at sea. It has further been noted it has “Cruise Technology”. This means the missile has stealth capabilities

Register to iHLS Israel Homeland Security

ADME 2015_ 650 × 90

The low altitude missile has high maneuverability capabilities. It can also deliver nuclear and conventional warheads with pin-point accuracy.

Strategic Plans Division Director General Lieutenant General Zubair Mahmood Hayat congratulated the scientists and engineers on this achievement. General Hayat termed the flight test a milestone, a major step towards strengthening Pakistan’s full spectrum credible minimum deterrence capability.

Pakistan’s first cruise missile, Babur, aka Hatf-VII, was first test-launched in 2005. Back then, local officials stated the system development program will include a modified missile designed for launch from airborne platforms.

Ra’ad is designed to be carried by aircraft flying at low altitudes in order to avoid radar detection. The missile itself is capable of carrying nuclear warheads. A third successful test of Ra’ad (ALCM) was carried out on 29 April 2011, this time again fired from a Dassault Mirage fighter of Pakistan Air force. In late May-early June 2012, Pakistan conducted its fourth test of the Ra’ad air-launched cruise missile (ALCM).