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Pakistani Ballistic Missiles: Indigenous Content & Development

Indigenous Content and Development of Pakistani Ballistic Missiles​

Pakistan has made significant strides in developing an indigenous ballistic missile program, with the help of foreign assistance from countries like China and North Korea. Here are some key points about the indigenous content and development of Pakistani ballistic missiles:

Early Beginnings and Foreign Assistance​

  • Pakistan's missile program began in the 1960s with the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) launching sounding rockets with assistance from NASA
  • In the 1980s and 1990s, Pakistan received substantial technical assistance from China to develop its early Hatf series of short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs) like the Hatf-1 and Hatf-2
  • Pakistan also acquired M-11 SRBMs and associated equipment from China in the early 1990s, leading to U.S. sanctions

Shift to Indigenous Development​

  • In the 1990s, Pakistan shifted focus to acquiring an indigenous capability in missile production technologies
  • It began developing solid-fuel propellant technology, which laid the foundation for future missiles like the Abdali, Shaheen-I, and Shaheen-II
  • The Ghaznavi (Hatf-3) and Shaheen-I (Hatf-4) SRBMs were developed indigenously by the National Development Complex (NDC), a subsidiary of the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC)

Expansion of Capabilities​

  • Pakistan continued to expand its missile capabilities, developing medium-range ballistic missiles (MRBMs) like the Ghauri (Hatf-5) with North Korean assistance
  • It also developed the Shaheen-II MRBM indigenously, with a range of 2,000-2,500 km
  • More recently, Pakistan has been developing the Ababeel MRBM, which can carry multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles (MIRVs), making it the first country in South Asia to demonstrate MIRV capability

Cruise Missile Development​

  • Pakistan has also made strides in developing cruise missile capabilities, with systems like the Babur (Hatf-7) and Ra'ad (Hatf-8)
  • The Babur is a ground-launched cruise missile with an estimated range of 350-700 km, while the Ra'ad is an air-launched cruise missile with a range of 350 km
In conclusion, while Pakistan received significant foreign assistance in the early stages of its missile program, it has made concerted efforts to develop indigenous capabilities, particularly in solid-fuel propellant technology, and has expanded its missile arsenal to include SRBMs, MRBMs, and cruise missiles.



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