Pakistan conducted the test of Babar cruise missile last Wednesday

Pakistan conducted another successful test of Babar LACM last Wednesday . It is being said that Babur cruise missile was tested to 750km range with a payload of 500kg which means that range is increased by 50km and payload by 200kg. Babur Cruise Missile has a CEP of 3 meter allowing it to destroy enemy targets with pinpoint accuracy. The Babur or Hatf VII missile can carry conventional as well as non-conventional nuclear warheads. A source in the Foreign Office disclosed the test was carried out without prior announcement, which was against the usual practice as President Asif Zardari was in Washington and was due to meet President Obama.The source said Pakistan did not want to leave any negative impression on meeting keeping in view the missile test. As regards ballistic missile tests, there exists an accord between Pakistan and India to exchange information prior to the tests and they both do the same, but in case of cruise missile test, there is no such agreement. Development of the Hatf-VII/ Babur cruise missile started in mid 1990, in response to the reports of Indio-Russian cruise missile program Brahmos and the requirement to have multiple options for the delivery of nuclear warheads. Pakistan had conducted its first nuclear cold tests in early 1980s and started the development of longer range ballistic missile delivery system in late 1980. In July and August 1998 two US RGM/UGM-109 Tomahawk cruise missiles were recovered almost intact in Southern Pakistan, and may have been used for reverse engineering or to provide vital technologies for the Hatf-VII project. It is believed that the Hatf-VII Babur design and development programme was known as Project 828. First official announcement of a test flight was made in August 2005. The first test flight was ground launched, and was stated to have a maximum range of 500 km, this range was later increase to 700km. A longer range version which will have range of 1,000 km is also under development. An air launched version called Raad ALCM has also been tested with a range of 350Km. Third version is under development for Ship/ submarine launch and Agosta 90 submarines of the Khalid class and U-214 SSK (which will be manufactured in Pakistan under license) will be the launch platforms.

Posted in: Missile,Pakistan