450-km range missile launched from PN submarine

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan on Monday successfully test-fired its first-ever Submarine Launched Cruise Missile (SLCM) Babur-3, having a range of 450 kilometers.

The missile was fired from an undisclosed location in the Indian Ocean, said the ISPR in a statement. The missile was fired from an underwater mobile platform and hit the target with precise accuracy. 

Babur-3 is a sea-based variant of the Ground Launched Cruise Missile (GLCM) Babur-2, which was successfully tested earlier in December, last year. Babur-3 SLCM incorporates state of the art technologies including underwater controlled propulsion and advanced guidance and navigation features, duly augmented by Global Navigation, Terrain and Scene Matching Systems.

The missile features terrain hugging and sea skimming flight capabilities to evade hostile radars and air defenses, in addition to certain stealth technologies, in an emerging regional Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) environment.

Babur-3 SLCM in land-attack mode is capable of delivering various types of payloads and will provide Pakistan with a credible second strike capability, augmenting deterrence.  While the pursuit and now the successful attainment of a second strike capability by Pakistan represents a major scientific milestone, it is manifestation of the strategy of measured response to nuclear strategies and postures being adopted in Pakistan’s neighborhood.

The test was witnessed by the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) General Zubair Mahmood Hayat, DG Strategic Plans Division (SPD) Lieutenant General Mazhar Jamil, Commander Naval Strategic Force Command (NSFC), senior officials, scientists and engineers from scientific strategic organizations. 

The CJCSC and three services chiefs congratulated all the officials involved on achieving this highly significant milestone.  He also highlighted that the successful test-fire of SLCM also demonstrated confidence ‘in our scientists and engineers in fostering the technological prowess, through indigenization and self-reliance’. Pakistan eyes this hallmark development as a step towards reinforcing policy of credible minimum deterrence.