By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Navy carried out a wide-ranging exercise in the North Arabian Sea on Saturday, firing a surface-to-air missile that hit its mark and testing other new systems, according to the military’s public relations office.
“The exercise included the successful live firing of LY-80 (N) surface-to-air missile from a vertical launching system at an extended range, validating the long-range capabilities of Pakistan Navy’s modern air defence systems,” the Inter-Services Public Relations said in a statement. It added that the missile “successfully engaged and neutralised an aerial target, demonstrating Pakistan Navy’s robust air defence capabilities.”
The drill also involved loitering munitions that struck surface targets. “The Loitering Munition (LM) successfully engaged and destroyed surface targets, showcasing its effectiveness in modern naval warfare,” the statement said. In another part of the exercise, the navy tested an unmanned surface vessel at sea. “The trials validated the platform’s ability to combine high-speed performance with mission-critical durability,” the public relations office said, noting that the vessel showed “extreme manoeuvrability, precision navigation and weather resilience.”
It described the unmanned vessel as offering “a low-risk, high-impact solution with the stealth of a tactical interceptor.”
The Pakistan Fleet commander observed the drill, and Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf praised the officers and sailors for their professionalism and operational competence. He reaffirmed the navy’s resolve to “ensure seaward defence of Pakistan and safeguard national maritime interests under all circumstances,” the statement said.
Pakistan has announced several such tests in recent months. On Jan. 3, the air force flight-tested its home-built Taimoor system, able to hit land and sea targets as far as 600 kilometers away. In November 2025, the navy fired a ship-launched anti-ship ballistic missile developed in the country, featuring advanced guidance and the ability to maneuver in tough sea conditions while targeting ships or land.
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