Pakistan successfully test-fires Babur-II Cruise Missile
The Pakistani Army reportedly test-fired an improved version of Babur, an indigenously designed cruise missile. The Babur-II can hit targets at 700 kilometers with all types of warheads; several Indian cities fall within its range. Named 'Babur' after a Mughal invader and the founder of the dynasty of the same name, the missile is a part of Babur Weapon System Version-2.
The cruise missile incorporates advanced aerodynamics and avionics
Pakistan's Army said the cruise missile incorporates advanced aerodynamics and avionics that can strike targets at land and sea with high accuracy. It added, "It is a low flying, terrain hugging missile, which carries certain stealth features and is capable of carrying various types of warheads." Pakistani President Mamnoon Hussain and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif congratulated the scientists and engineers on the successful test.
Babur-II equipped with state of the art navigational technologies
Babur-II cruise missile is reportedly equipped with state of the art navigational technologies of Terrain Contour Matching (TERCOM) and all time Digital Scene Matching & Area Co-relation (DSMAC). This enables the missile to engage different types of targets with pinpoint accuracy even in the absence of GPS navigation. The Pakistani Army said, "Babur Weapon System is an important force multiplier for Pakistan's strategic defence."
Another milestone of great value and significance
Pakistan's Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Zubair Mahmood Hayat, senior officers from Strategic Plans Division, Strategic Forces, scientists and engineers of strategic organizations were present at the launch. Gen. Hayat congratulated the scientists and engineers on achieving another milestone of great value and significance. He also appreciated the technical prowess, commitment, and dedication of the scientists who contributed to the success.
Pakistan's Deterrence Capability
General Zubair Mahmood Hayat expressed his full confidence over the operational preparedness of the Strategic Command and Control System and the Strategic Forces. He also said the missile test further strengthened Pakistan's Deterrence Capability.
Babur-II, inferior to India's BrahMos
Babur-II is reportedly far inferior to India's BrahMos. BrahMos travels at supersonic speeds of up to Mach 3, while Babur's subsonic speed of Mach 0.8. BrahMos' target penetration is better, and most missile defence systems can't intercept it. Babur's range is longer than BrahMos', but due to its subsonic speed, anti-missile shields like Israel's Iron Dome and India's Advanced Air Defence can intercept it.
Is Babur indigenously developed?
Though Pakistan claims Babur is an indigenously developed cruise missile, weapons experts reportedly speculate that it could be based on the Kh-55SM/Korshun LACM (a Soviet/Russian subsonic air-launched cruise missile), the detailed production engineering data packages of which had been bought by 2001.
