Pakistan Integrates Nuclear-capable Ra'ad Cruise Missile onto JF-17 Jet

Pakistan has integrated the Ra'ad Air-Launched Cruise Missile (ALCM), capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear warheads, into its JF-17 Thunder fighter jets.

The integration was publicly demonstrated when a JF-17 Thunder Block II fighter jet was seen carrying a Ra'ad missile variant under its right wing during a parade for Pakistan Army Day. This development is part of Pakistan's broader effort to replace its Mirage III/V fighter jets with the more advanced JF-17 Thunder, produced jointly with China.

The Ra'ad cruise missile is turbofan-powered, with a reported range of over 500 kilometers and a warhead capacity of 450 kilograms. It operates at high-subsonic speeds, with a maximum speed of 0.8 Mach.

This move comes amid increasing nuclear competition in the region. India, Pakistan's neighbor and regional rival, is expanding its nuclear arsenal and enhancing its defense industry collaborations with countries like the United States, France, and Israel. India has recently acquired 5 S-400 Air Defense Missile Systems from Russia for over $5 billion and is pursuing additional procurements such as the Brahmos cruise missile and Igla-S MANPADS.