Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Monday achieved a major milestone and conducted its first successful test fire of submarine launched cruise missile (SLCM) Babur-3 having a range of 450 kilometers, from an undisclosed location in the Indian Ocean.

According to an ISPR Spokesman, a missile was test fired from an underwater, mobile platform and hit its target with precise accuracy. Babur-3 is a sea-based variant of Ground Launched Cruise Missile (GLCM) Babur-2, which was successfully tested earlier in December, last year.

Babur-3 SLCM incorporates state of the art technology, 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, the spokesman added.

In land-attack mode, Babur-3 SLCM is capable of delivering various types of payloads and will provide Pakistan with 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 Chief 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 Organisations. The CJCSC and three service chiefs congratulated all the officials involved on achieving this highly significant milestone.

He also highlighted that successful test fire of SLCM also demonstrates confidence on the part of Pakistan’s scientists and engineers in fostering the technological prowess through indigenisation and self-reliance. Pakistan eyes this hallmark development as a step towards reinforcing the policy of credible minimum deterrence.

President Mamnoon Hussain and Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif also congratulated the nation and Military Forces of Pakistan on the first successful test fire of Submarine Launched Cruise Missile (SLCM) Babur-3 that had a range of 450 kilometers.

The prime minister in a statement said that the successful test of Babur-3 was a manifestation of Pakistan’s technological progress and self-reliance. The prime minister further said that Pakistan always maintained policy of peaceful co-existence, but this test was a step towards reinforcing the policy of credible minimum deterrence.