Pakistan on Monday successfully tested Babur-III cruise missile from a submarine. Designed to avoid radar detection and penetrate enemy air defences, the missile can be armed with conventional and nuclear warheads, and has a reported range of 450km.
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The Director-General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), a media arm of Pakistani Army, took to Twitter to confirm the test. According to reports, it is the first time that Pakistan has test-fired such a missile from a submarine.
ISPR DG Major General Asif Ghafoor showed the missile taking off and hitting its target with accuracy.
Babur-III is the sea-based version of land attack cruise missile (LACM) Babur. In December 2016, Pakistan had tested an enhanced version of the cruise missile. The ground version of the missile is said to have a range of 700km.
The new missile has 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, Radio Pakistan reported.
#Pakistan successfully test fired first Submarine launched Cruise Missile Babur-3. Rg 450 Km. #COAS congrats Nation and the team involved. pic.twitter.com/YRNei5oF65
— Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor (@OfficialDGISPR) January 9, 2017
This missile also has features that can evade enemy radars and air defences, thanks to its terrain-hugging and sea-skimming flight capabilities. It is said to feature some stealth technologies too and can carry various types of warheads.
