Pakistan test fires nuclear-capable medium-range missile Hatf-4

SLAMABAD: Pakistan on Friday successfully test-fired a medium-range ballistic missile Hatf-4 Shaheen-1 at the conclusion of the army's annual field training exercises, the military said.

A statement said that the Strategic Missile Group had launched the Shaheen-1 missile on Friday from an undisclosed location.

The nuclear-capable missile has a range of 700 kilometers (420miles). Pakistan routinely tests the various missiles in its arsenal, designed to match that of neighboring archrival India.

A Strategic Missile Group (SMG) of the Pakistan Army’s Strategic Force Command (ASFC) conducted a successful training launch of the Shaheen-1 (Hatf-IV) Medium Range Ballistic Missile.

The launch was conducted at the conclusion of the annual field training exercises of a Shaheen-1 Missile Group.

It may be recalled that the Shaheen-1 Ballistic Missile System, with a range of 700 kms, is an operationalised weapon system held by the ASFC and is routinely fired during training exercises by the troops of the ASFC.

The field launch exercise of the ASFC was witnessed by the Chief of the Army Staff, General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, senior military officers and scientists.

Addressing the troops in the exercise area, the COAS congratulated them on achieving high standards of training and excellent results.

He said that the nation had developed a strong nuclear deterrence capability and expected that the officers and men entrusted with the task of deterring aggression would continue to train hard and maintain professional excellence.

The Chief of Army Staff made it clear that Pakistan did not have any aggressive designs against anyone and Pakistan’s nuclear capability was solely for the purpose of deterring all types of aggression.

Referring to international concerns regarding speculative scenarios, he dismissed such concerns as unrealistic and based on a lack of understanding of Pakistan’s command and control mechanisms.

He said that the Pakistani Armed Forces were a highly professional, motivated and well trained force and were capable of safeguarding and securing nuclear assets against all categories of threat.

The nation stood behind the armed forces. He stressed that creating irresponsible alarm by certain quarters would be counter productive.

Good news. Congrats to all.

Everytime a new batch of missiles is inducted, one missile is chosen at random and test fired to certify the other missiles as a Quality Control Management issue.

This is like the 4th batch bringing the Hatf 4 missiles to atleast 100 in Pakistani inventory if one batch consist of 25 missiles each, that is.

I think 1,000 missiles aimed at India will keep the Indian Terrorists at bay pissing in thier pants. Hi ram ram, which one of those 1,000 Pakistani missiles is carrying the big patakha ? If my estimates are right then we already have surpassed the 500 missiles mark. :)

Indian ABM missiles....whatever.... tsk tsk tsk.

congrats to all..

I'm not sure if all of those weapons are exactly pointing towards India.

Salaam

Congrats to all

How do you know a batch consists of 25? are you assuming or is that number based on something?

Its a guesstimate if I'm correct, because no one knows the exact number of missiles Pakistan has (except for very high ups in the army).

At the conclusion of all war-games and exercises, PA fires a missile, with a mock war head.
It's part of the exercise itself.

This was not a missile missile test-fire, rather a test-fire to test the jawans who'll be handling the missiles in the event of a war.
I mean the missile Hatf/Shaheen was not being tested itself, it's already a tested and operational missile, already inducted by PA.

I was expecting a test fire.

BB got killed.
Elections are coming.
Atta is missing.
New operation in Waziristan.
Power outages.


when else to test another Missile.
poor example, but it reminds me of one of my Foji coursemates, who used to "release pressure" when too many worries started piling up.

Outside View: Pakistan tests its IRBM

The world panics whenever Pakistan conducts a test of missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads.

A Muslim state with nuclear weapons and extremists is also testing missiles? But this criticism is hardly justified. What should Pakistan do if it has nuclear warheads? It couldn't possibly carry them by aircraft.

Needless to say, there are some risks for the world in the Pakistani nuclear potential, but they are not much more serious than those involved in the nuclear potentials of India or Israel, the United States or Russia. Everything depends on which capital looks at these risks.

Islamabad has never concealed that its nuclear weapons are meant exclusively for India, or, to be more precise, for deterring its aggression. India is fully aware of this and, judging by all, is not too worried. Moreover, since 2005 the sides have been developing their missile potentials without creating problems for each other.

Early last year Pakistan and India resumed the discussion of problems in their relations. Last February they signed an agreement on preventing the risk of accidents with nuclear weapons. It is aimed at removing the threat of nuclear confrontation and the development of reliable nuclear arms control systems.

Yet Pakistan's recent missile test has made the world nervous. On Jan. 25 Pakistan test-launched its medium-range Shaheen-1 rail-based ballistic missile, which can hit targets at a distance of up to 435 miles. This solid-fuel missile is capable of carrying nuclear warheads. Judging by all, it is a modification of the Chinese M9 solid fuel tactical missile. Some sources report that China helped Pakistan develop its Abdali and Shaheen-1 missiles.

This was the second test of tactical missiles in the past month and a half. On Dec. 11 Pakistan test-launched its Babur cruise missile, a land-based liquid-fuel missile with a range of up to 420 miles.

Pakistan is strictly observing the schedule of tests it has agreed with India. There are no deviations in the type or range of missiles. There is one important detail in this context. In 2007 Pakistan and India tested missiles, having notified each other in advance. They conducted some test launches almost simultaneously, as if emphasizing their commitment to the principle of parallel testing. This tradition goes back to 1998, when Pakistan tested nuclear weapons after India. But the principle of parallel testing is only limited to time. Comparison of missile systems' characteristics is obviously not in favor of Pakistan.

Not without help from the great powers, India has gone so far ahead in the sphere of arms that it is pursuing its national interests from the Persian Gulf to the Malacca archipelago. Islamabad justifiably believes that the United States is ready to support India's claims to the status of a world power in exchange for its efforts to deter China and Iran.

What should Pakistan do in this situation?

Early last December the Pakistani government drafted and adopted its defense policy concept. According to this document, the Pakistani military doctrine is based on the potential of minimally guaranteed deterrence and is aimed at protecting the country's territorial integrity and securing peace in the region -- South Asia.

Pakistan is using its potentialities to the utmost. Its nuclear potential was a major deterrent in the past, but today it is no longer playing this role. A contribution to the change was made by the United States -- its nuclear romance with India is more than obvious. Meanwhile, Pakistan still remains the main partner of the United States and Western Europe in the region's anti-terrorist coalition.

In this situation Pakistan will seek support in its relations with India from other countries with modern weapons, apart from China and the United States. It may turn to Russia for this purpose.

http://www.upi.com/International_Security/..._its_irbm/8617/