Pakistan on Tuesday successfully conducted the first flight test of the newly developed short range surface to surface multi tube ballistic missile Hatf IX (NASR), a statement issued by the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) stated.
According to the statement, the missile has been developed to add deterrence value to Pakistan’s Strategic Weapons Development programme at shorter ranges. NASR, with a range of 60 kilometres, carries nuclear warheads of appropriate yield with high accuracy, shoot and scoot attributes. This quick response system addresses the need to deter evolving threats, it said.
Director General Strategic Plans Division, Lieutenant General (Retired) Khalid Ahmed Kidwai, senior officers from the strategic forces, scientists and engineers of strategic organisations were present on the occasion.
On this occasion, Kidwai said that the test was a very important milestone in consolidating Pakistan’s strategic deterrence capability at all levels of the threat spectrum. He said that in the hierarchy of military operations, the NASR Weapon System now provides Pakistan with short range missile capability in addition to the already available medium and long range ballistic missiles and cruise missiles in its inventory.
Military sources said that the new missile system belongs to the category of tactical nuclear weapons and is a low yield battlefield deterrent, which is capable of inflicting damage on mechanised forces such as armed brigades and divisions.
With the development of this multi- tube, ‘shoot-n-scoot’ capability, Indian planners will now be deterred from considering options of limited war, the sources said.
According to ISPR’s statement, the successful test has also been appreciated by President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, who have congratulated the scientists and engineers on their outstanding success.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 20th, 2011.
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Sir, winter must have set in where u live. So you will have all the time in the world to read what I am going to tell you...you, I mean your country of origin is really blessedOne country makes the roads for you, another the ports, some country comes and builds your schools, yet another country gives you petroleum produdcts, some nations shower you with arms, others fight the militants/terrorists on your behalf.....the list goes on and on... Ieft to you...see the plight of your countrymen affected by last year's floods.. India has a billion plus population and we have million plus problems..we acknowledge that and slowly and steadily we are resolving the issues..it will take time but we will do it We dont go to town blaming the whole world for our problems regards joy Indiapakistan has won every war including the 1971 war, pakistan has won every cricket match including the world cup semi final, pakistan has won each and every football, kabbadi,baseball, ice hockey and what-have-you match against India....So,,can we talk peace now @ Dr Salim Siddiqui Sir.....pray tell me the population of Indian Muslims.... and let me tell you this......for my fellow Indian Muslims the Jihad is against illiteracy, malnutrition, poverty.......coz they know they owe it to the future generations peace Joy