Pakistan Navy tests LY-80 missile, drones and unmanned vessel in Arabian Sea

The Pakistan Navy has conducted a comprehensive exercise in the North Arabian Sea, testing surface-to-air missiles, loitering munitions and an unmanned surface vessel, the military’s media wing said on Saturday.

According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the drills included the successful live firing of an LY-80(N) surface-to-air missile from a vertical launching system at extended range. The missile successfully engaged and neutralised an aerial target, validating what the Navy described as the long-range capabilities of its modern air defence systems.

The exercise also featured the use of loitering munitions against surface targets. These weapons, which can hover over an area before striking, successfully destroyed targets and demonstrated the Navy’s precision strike capabilities in modern naval warfare, the ISPR said.

Separately, open-sea trials of an unmanned surface vessel were carried out in challenging conditions. The autonomous craft was tested for manoeuvrability, precision navigation and performance in adverse weather. The trials validated the platform’s ability to combine high-speed performance with mission-critical durability, with the ISPR describing it as a low-risk, high-impact system offering “the stealth of a tactical interceptor”.

The exercise was witnessed by the Commander Pakistan Fleet and involved the employment of both conventional and unmanned systems, highlighting the Navy’s ability to operate advanced technologies in line with evolving naval warfare.

Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf said the drills demonstrated the operational readiness and combat preparedness of the Pakistan Navy. He commended officers and personnel for their professionalism and operational competence, and reaffirmed the Navy’s resolve to ensure the seaward defence of Pakistan and safeguard national maritime interests under all circumstances.

Read: Pakistan Navy successfully tests indigenous anti-ship ballistic missile

In its statement, the ISPR said the exercise showcased Pakistan Navy’s “operational readiness and combat preparedness through a comprehensive exercise in the North Arabian Sea, showcasing both conventional and unmanned capabilities, as per dictates of evolving naval warfare”.

The developments drew praise from Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, who described the successful test of the LY-80 missile as an important milestone for national defence.

“I congratulate the Pakistan Navy, scientists and engineers on the successful test of the LY-80 missile,” he said, adding that “Pakistani scientists have raised the country’s head with pride through the LY-80 air defence missile system”.

He said the Navy’s professional capability and reliance on indigenous technology were commendable, calling the LY-80 system proof of that progress. “The Sindh government salutes the scientists and forces serving national defence,” he said.

The chief minister said the successful missile test sent a clear message to adversaries and marked an important step towards making Pakistan’s defence “impregnable”. He added that the country’s defence was in “strong hands”, self-reliance in modern defence technology was a major national achievement, and that there would be “no compromise on national security”.

Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also congratulated the Pakistan Navy’s scientists and engineers on the successful test of the LY-80 missile.

He said that under the leadership of Chief of Defence Staff Field Marshal General Asim Munir and Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf, Pakistan had achieved another success in the field of defence.

Naqvi described the successful test of the surface-to-air missile as an important milestone for the country’s defence sector.

“I congratulate the entire nation on the successful missile test,” he said.

He praised the Pakistan Navy’s scientists and engineers for what he called an outstanding achievement, adding that the successful test was a credible step towards strengthening the defence of Pakistan’s maritime borders.

The exercise comes as regional navies increasingly incorporate autonomous systems and long-range missiles into their maritime operations, underscoring the growing emphasis on advanced technologies in naval defence.