Pakistani ballistic missiles: Original of the Hatf Series

Pakistan Currently deploys a wide variety of ballistic and cruise missiles both for the nuclear delivery and conventional land attack role that can only be matched by very few nations outside United States of America, Russia, China and France (UK’s nuclear delivery systems are purchased from the United States).Unlike Nuclear weapons program of Pakistan which got active support from the country’s politic as soon as India conducted the nuclear tests May 1974 time, Missile program was not able to gather such support at that time as poltation and army thought that PAF can play the role of nuclear delivery effectively if needed by employing its existing aircrafts like Mirage-III and Mirage-V without too much extra expenses as aircraft used for Nuclear delivery will share same infrastructure with their conventionally armed fighter jets unlike expensive and uncertain Missile program. It was not until Pakistan army saw Use of ballistic missiles in war of cities in its neighborhood and the launch of the Prithvi ballistic missile program, Pakistan army realized the impact of the ballistic missiles on the modern warfare and decided to change its earlier decision about the missile program.

Cloaked in absolute secrecy, development of solid-propellant guided ballistic missile program in Pakistan began in the 1980s. This Strategic Missile Program was named Hatf series, Hatf is Arabic word which means "Deadly”. It was the name of the sword of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Pakistan has designated all its missiles as Hatf for this reason. In 1980s Pakistan had very limited exposure of the solid fuel rocketry in shape of different kind of sounding rocket design. Pakistan government decided to have a very conservative start for their first indigenously built ballistic missile.

Hatf-1

First one in the Hatf Series ballistic missiles was Hatf-1, It was designed as a short range, highly mobile, tactical ballistic missile system. The missiles did use the experience of the manufacturing of the sounding rockets. Hatf-1 ballistic missile had a range of 80 km range, with a length of 6.0 m, a body diameter of 0.56 m and a launch weight of 1,500 kg. The rocket is a single-stage solid-propellant system, with a payload of 500 kg that could be HE, chemical or submunitions.

Hatf-I had a range of 80 km and could carry a 500 kg conventional or non-conventional warhead. Hatf-1 ballistic missile carried very basic type of guidance system. The Hatf-I was designed to be capable of deploying high explosive or cluster munitions, although it was theoretically possible to carry tactical nuclear weapon but this option was never considered as realistic due to extremely short of range. Missile was first tested in late in 1980s and was revealed by the Pakistan Army in Rawalpindi in March 1989 Hatf-1 were mounted on ex-Second World War anti-aircraft gun converted trailers, rather than on a modern missile TEL vehicle. Later on an upgraded version of the Hatf-I was tested in 1991 called Hatf-1A with increased range and improved guidance system to achieve accuracy of less than 60m at maximum range. The maximum range of the Hatf-1A is 100 Km. Increase in the range was achieved through improvements in rocket engine and use of lighter composite materials in the missile's construction. The dimensions and the payload capacity of Hataf-1A remain same. Hatf-IA is entered in service in 1993. Hatf-IB is the last version of the Hatf-I missile system. Aim of the Hatf-1B program was to convert Hatf-1A as well as new build Hatf-1B to provide army with tactical precision guided ballistic missiles capable of destroying important enemy position with its powerful 500 Kg HE explosive warhead or cluster munitions over a range of 100 Km with precision. Therefore it was decided to use advance inertial guidance system derived from the newer and more capable advance ballistic missiles like Hatf-2 Abdali to achieve the CEP of only 10m. The Hatf-IB is identical to Hatf-IA otherwise, retaining both range and payload of the Hatf-IA. Hatf-IB was first flight tested in February 2000. All in-service Hatf-I missiles have been upgraded to Hatf-IB standard. Hatf 1B missiles have been seen carried on a more modern four wheeled Transporter-Erector-Launcher (TEL) with a 12 m ramp.

Original Hatf 1 was designed by the Pakistan National Development Complex (PNDC) with co-operation from the Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO). SUPARCO has been building and launching solid propellant multi-stage space research launch vehicles since the early 1970s.

Hatf 2 Shadoz

The original Hatf 2 missile program known as Shadoz ballistic missile was also reveled in 1989 by the Army with hatf-1. It had a range of 300 km, was 9.75 m long, and had a body diameter of 0.56 m. It was a two-stage missile with four clipped-tip delta fins at mid-body and four more fins at the base of the missile. First test firings were reported in February 1989. Hatf 2 like hatf-1 was designed to carry a 500 kg payload with realistic nuclear warhead capability when compared to very short range Hatf-1. The first stage length was 3.75 m and the second stage including the warhead section was 6.0 m. Both stages were based on the solid fuel motor of Hatf-1 ballistic missile. Original Hatf 2 missiles were ground mobile were displayed in Rawalpindi in March 1989 were mounted on ex-Second World War anti-aircraft gun converted trailers, rather than on a modern missile TEL vehicle. Only small number of this missile entered in the service with Pakistan Army and program was terminated in 1994. Hatf-2 designation is reused by the Pakistan army for new low cost quick response short range tactical precision guided ballistic missile which is named Hatf-2 Abdali. Hatf-2 Shadoz program was terminated in favor of new advance single stage Hatf-3 Ghaznavi short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) with range of 290 km. Hatf-3 Ghaznavi carries advance reentry vehicle with capability to maneuver in terminal face of its flight to deal with antiballistic missiles and carries a new INS guidance along with GPS updates to provide a CEP of less than 25m.

Hatf-3

The original Hatf 3 missile was a 10.0 m long , to have a first stage body diameter of 1.0 m and length of 4.0 m, a second stage diameter of 0.56 m and length of 6.0 m using Hatf 1 same as hatf-2. The launch weight was 6,500 kg and the payload was 500 kg. The maximum range was 800 km. Development of the Hatf 3 started in 1987 in response of Pakistan army’s requirement of medium range ballistic missile and was terminated in 1994. This missile was tested only once and never entered in service with Pakistan Army.Termination of Hatf-3 of came in favor of new highly advance Hatf-4 Shaheen-I short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) with range of 750 km. Hatf-4 Shaheen-I is designed from the very start to deal with antiballistic missiles and carries a terminal guidance system along with GPS updates to provide a CEP of less than 20m.

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