Pakistan Test Fires Nuclear-capable Submarine-launched Cruise Missile

Pakistan on Monday test fired a Submarine-Launched Cruise Missile (SLCM) Babur-3 capable of carrying a nuclear warhead from an undisclosed location in the Indian Ocean.

The missile, with a range of 450 kilometers, was fired from an underwater, mobile platform and it has hit its target with precise accuracy.

Babur-3 is a sea-based variant of Ground Launched Cruise Missile (GLCM) Babur-2, which was tested earlier in December, last year, Hindustan Times reported today.

The Babur-3 SLCM is equipped with 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, apart from its stealth technologies, in an emerging regional Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) environment.

Babur-3 SLCM in land-attack mode, is capable of delivering various types of payloads and will provide Pakistan with a "credible second strike capability, augmenting deterrence," the statement said.

The test was witnessed by the chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) General Zubair Mahmood Hayat, director general of the Strategic Plans Division (SPD) Lieutenant General Mazhar Jamil, Commander Naval Strategic Force Command (NSFC), senior officials, scientists and engineers from Scientific Strategic Organizations.