By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Navy successfully tested an indigenously developed ship-launched anti-ship ballistic missile on Tuesday, marking another step in the country’s efforts to bolster its military capabilities amid regional tensions.
The test, announced by the military’s media affairs wing, demonstrated a weapon system capable of striking targets at sea and on land with high precision, according to a statement from the Inter-Services Public Relations. “The system is equipped with state-of-the-art guidance and advanced manoeuvrability features,” the ISPR said.
Admiral Naveed Ashraf, the chief of the naval staff, witnessed the flight test along with senior scientists and engineers, the statement added. The ISPR described the successful launch as “a testimony to Pakistan’s technological prowess and Pakistan Navy’s unwavering commitment to safeguard national interests.”
In a show of high-level support, President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Shamshad Mirza and other service chiefs extended congratulations to the participating units and scientists.
The naval test follows a similar demonstration by the Pakistan Army less than two months earlier. On Sept. 30, the army conducted a successful training launch of the newly inducted, indigenously produced Fatah-4 cruise missile, which has a range of 750 kilometers. “Equipped with advanced avionics and state-of-the-art navigational aids, this weapon system is capable of evading [the] enemy’s missile defence system due to terrain-hugging features and engaging targets with high precision,” the ISPR said in a statement at the time.
Pakistan’s military has long emphasised self-reliance in defense production, particularly in missile technology, as it navigates a volatile security landscape that includes longstanding rivalries with India and concerns over maritime routes in the Arabian Sea. The announcements come at a time when South Asia’s arms race shows no signs of abating, with both Pakistan and India regularly testing advanced weaponry to maintain strategic balance.
Officials did not disclose the specific location of Tuesday’s naval test or further technical details about the missile’s capabilities, but the emphasis on precision and versatility underscores Islamabad’s focus on modernising its forces.
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