ISLAMABAD: Pakistan carried out on Monday a successful test flight of short-range cruise missile Raad, which is capable of carrying both nuclear and conventional warheads.

“Successful flight test of the indigenously developed Air Launched Cruise Missile (ALCM) ‘Raad’ was conducted today,” a military spokesman said.

The test of the 350-kilometre range missile, which is also known as Hatf VIII, was the sixth since it was first tested in 2007. The missile launched from Mirage Aircraft is believed to have been inducted in Pakistan Air Force (PAF) in 2007.

The missile is approximately five metres long and could weigh up to 1000kg.

Military described it as a state-of-the-art, low altitude, terrain-hugging missile with high manoeuvrability that could deliver nuclear and conventional warheads with pin-point accuracy.

The missile provides Pakistani armed forces with “Strategic Standoff Capability on land and at sea”. The capability keeps the aircraft from which the missile is fired well out of danger from hostile air defence systems.

The test closely followed India’s testing of its 5000 kilometres nuclear-capable Inter-Continental Ballistic Agni-V missile, which was launched from a canister.

The Pakistani test gave the impression that it was in response to the Indian trial.

Nuclear expert Brig retired Naeem Salik said it was wrong to link the two tests. Pakistan, he said, tested a cruise missile, while the India’s was a ballistic missile. Moreover, he said, the planning for tests was done well in advance.

Brig Salik said that the Pakistan government had taken a policy decision in 1999 of not undertaking tit-for-tat tests.

India last year carried out 23 missile tests, while Pakistan tested its missiles on seven occasions.

The Director General of Strategic Plans Division, Lt Gen Zubair Mahmood Hayat, said the test would strengthen “Pakistan’s Full Spectrum Credible Minimum Deterrence capability”.

Pakistan’s strategic pursuits, he said, were aimed at achieving Strategic Stability in the region.

Published in Dawn, February 3rd, 2015

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