janes defence weekly article on pakistan's test

JANE'S DEFENCE WEEKLY - AUGUST 12, 2005

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PAKISTAN TESTS CRUISE MISSILE

Robert Hewson, Editor, Jane's Air-Launched Weapons and
Andrew Koch JDW Bureau Chief
London and Washington, DC
Additional reporting by Farhan Bokhari
Islamabad, Pakistan

* The Pakistani Babur cruise missile seems to share several basic similarities with the US BGM-109 Tomahawk

* Pakistan's ultimate aim may be to field this weapon on its Agosta-class submarines

Pakistan has made public the first test launch of a new cruise missile system, the Babur (also known as the Hatf-VII), which was successfully flight-tested on 11 August. The launch is a significant step forward for its strategic arsenal.

Major General Shaukat Sultan, the Pakistan Army's chief spokesman, said that the weapon has a 500 km range and can be fitted with either a conventional or nuclear warhead. The Babur is described as a high-speed, low-level terrain-following missile, but Shaukat declined to provide specifics on its guidance or propulsion system. Neither is its payload capability known.

Film footage of the test launch shows the Babur being fired from a transporter erector launcher (TEL) by a solid rocket booster fitted to the missile's tail section. The booster drops away after a short initial phase and the missile transitions into forward flight with the deployment of pop-out wings and a ventral air intake for the main engine.

It is unclear whether the engine is a turbofan or turbojet power plant. However, in 2002 Pakistan announced development of a turbojet-powered aerial target called the Nishan-Mk 2TJ that analysts viewed as a preliminary step to developing a cruise missile.

The Babur test firing occurred at a previously undisclosed test range, Maj Gen Shaukat confirmed to JDW. This is understood to be located along the Baluchistan coast. A US intelligence official noted that additional tests are expected to be conducted using that area.

Pakistani scientist Samar Mubarak Mund, who heads the National Engineering and Scientific Commission that led the Babur programme, told the Pakistani newspaper The News that production of the missile would begin within a month.

The Babur appears to share several basic similarities with the US BGM-109 Tomahawk land attack cruise missile, with the two being roughly the same size and shape and having a similar wing and engine intake design. A Pakistani source with knowledge of the programme said the project began around 1998 and was bolstered by lessons learned from Tomahawk missiles recovered in Pakistan. These US Tomahawks had failed to reach intended targets in an August 1998 strike against a terrorist camp in Afghanistan; Pakistani officials at the time acknowledged that they had recovered at least two missiles. "I'm sure they must have learned from that ... they are quite good in reverse engineering," the source noted.

Additional assistance may also have come from Chinese scientists, who have collaborated closely with Pakistan on other missile developments. Chinese assistance would be especially important in the key areas of miniaturised jet engines and guidance systems and any lessons learned from the Tomahawk are sure to make their way back to Beijing.

There is also reason to believe that Pakistan has been working with Ukrainian engineers for a number of years on several elements of advanced missile capability, while a third element in Pakistan's opaque missile inventory is South Africa. Air-launched stand-off systems in the class of the Denel-developed Raptor and MUPSOW families are understood to be in Pakistan Air Force service. While these have no direct connection to the Babur, they are another technology source to draw upon.

Ultimately, Pakistani officials said, the Babur is being developed for land- and submarine-launched applications, with a longer-term goal of making it suitable for airborne launch. The Pakistani source said that the intention is to have the Babur deployable on the country's French-designed Agosta 90-class attack submarines, although he noted it does not appear the missile is small enough to fit into 533 mm torpedo tubes in its current configuration. The Babur's vertical launch mode also points to a possible ship-board configuration, which would be an obvious first step for such a missile.

The first reports of a possible Pakistan cruise missile emerged in mid-2004 when a test was predicted before the end of that year. None occurred, but just days before the 2005 launch Pakistani President General Pervez Musharraf predicted that more missile tests would be undertaken soon. At the same time Pakistani officials were reported to be working on a new nuclear missile system that would be tested in the near future.

General Musharraf said that the Babur test was a "major milestone" in Pakistan's nuclear programme.

According to one high-ranking military source within Pakistan's Joint Staff HQ, the Babur "is an indigenous cruise missile that has been developed and produced in Pakistan", adding that the missile design "has no 'lineage' as such".

In a related development, JDW has learned that Pakistan is actively negotiating with China and France for the purchase of two or three new submarines. These same sources say that Islamabad aims to develop its first submarine-launched ballistic missile by 2006.

A senior Pakistani official told JDW that "expansion of our submarine fleet" represents the next stage in the development of Pakistan's strategic weapon capability. The navy will have nine submarines following the induction by next year of the last of three Agosta submarines acquired from France.

Pakistan's Babur cruise missile on its launcher and being flight tested. The launch of the missile is a "major milestone" in Pakistan's nuclear programme.

Source: Janes Defence

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So they took our missle and slapped a Made in Pakistan sticker on it.

And I though it was a chinese copy!!

Originally Posted by Rabs

So they took our missle and slapped a Made in Pakistan sticker on it.

If it was a US Missile then it would not have 500KM range!

The two US Missiles that fell on our territory were dead anyways but they provided some technical assistance to our "Cruise Missile Program".

I think that some people do not antiscipated this achievement by a muslim country.

Also there are reports about our next Cruise Missile with 1000KM range!

Whoa now, there's no need to bring the whole "muslim country" debate into things... We don't want this topic degenerated into a "which religion is better at producing cruise missiles" topic.

Rich.

Originally Posted by clownfish

And I though it was a chinese copy!!

You thought correctly. The Babar/Haft VII is the repainted and named Hong Niao-1 (entered PLA in 1992). It matches the Babur nut by nut and bolt by bolt.
Ever wondered that all parameters were successful in just the 1st test. ?...Its an off the shelf purchase by Pakistan in 2000-2002. They had announced a likely test in August 2004, but it did not materialise.
This is the second case of violation of the MTCR by China.

Lemontree, China is not a member of the MTCR. In fact, The US and other Western countries refused to allow China to participate in MTCR activities. So, how could China violate MTCR?

Why did the G-7 relentlessly to forbid China to participate decision making meetings? Discrimination? If the members disvalue and discredit China's participation, then I guess the restrictions does not apply to China.

Funny, you want a team player, yet you refuse the player join the team. So, what gives?

Quote: In April 1997 testimony, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Robert Einhorn stated that since the 1994 joint statement:

"we have had no reason to believe that China has violated its pledge not to export such missiles.

What did China violate, Lemontree?

Hi,

Come on now Serious missile development is a moderately prolonged process which requires constant testing and verifing ..... don't you think ?.

I would like to point out that the ideology of Pakistan involves keeping up with India and maintaining the feeling that India is being held at bay............. The maintnance of honor is of prime importance. Therefore it was necessary to demonstrate a _cruise_ missile.



By Giving Pakistan the Cruse MIssel China has sent Strong Messages .

First Message might be intended for India ...........China is becoming extremely nervous about the US-India nuclear and military deals under discussion......... and constant media talks that USA might Feild India against China in future........ Supplying this cruise missile to the Pakistan for a test may be intended to signal India that they could proliferate far worse to the Pakistan than they have already, should we get too close to the US.................The message to India is we can arbitrarily raise your BMD costs - stick to the S300 system we have - do not shift to the US aegis.

Second Message Might be intended to USA .........Lay off or this might leak to NK and Iran soon ............. The message to America is don't force us to proliferate.


India never Signed the Biased, Nuclear non Proliferation treaty ........... still it dosen't mean we start giving NUkes to every tom and harry .

Peace
-=SF_13=-

Yes, it does take long time for missle program to succeed. Hey, maybe Pakis started missle programs long time ago. Hey, maybe like others said, they picked up a few US made cruise missles from the war and voila, they solved some critical probelms. It is all possible. Pakis are not stupid people you know. Maybe, they are not Asian IT pioneers, but they are not dumb. Pleaes don't discredit the capabilities of Pakis, thanks.

Oh, what is wrong with Pakis trying to keep up with the Indians?

If India is actively courtship with the US to counter China's advancement, why can't China do the same to counter India? Does it make China evil because of your displeasement and conflict with Pakis?

Wait, the motto is: we are firends of the US, so we are the right, and you are the wrong!

Peace OUT!

HI,

I never said they can't make a Missel ............. Cruse Missel development has a Crutial Phase called testing.......... testing and verifing

One Feild test and Serial Production starts. .......... Come on who are we trying to fool.

Oh, what is wrong with Pakis trying to keep up with the Indians?

Nothin i was trying to eloborate why they need to fire the missel at this time.......... they had got this Missel way back in around 2000-2002 ......... what i meant was by showing in public the Millitary regime of Pakistan told general public that they are doing Somethig to counter India......... the launch was for the Show......

Nobody said somethig about being evil or something ........i was expressing my views what might be the strategy behind China Selling Hong Niao-1 to Pakistan........ what message they want to pass on ....... that's your Strategy and that's theirs .




Peace
-=SF_13=-