Pakistan test launches a ballistic missile from a warship
5 November, 2024 SMASH ballistic missile launched from a Pakistani frigate. Collage of ISPR images Pakistan has successfully test-launched a domestically developed ballistic missile designed to arm the national fleet from a warship.
ISPR reported on this. A press release from the Inter-Services Public Relations of the Pakistan Armed Forces (ISPR) states that the range of the missile system is 350 km. The missile is launched from an angled launcher and changes its direction to vertical mid-flight.
Its name is SMASH, and its purpose is to hit both land and sea targets.
A SMASH ballistic missile launched from a Pakistani ship. Freeze frame from ISPR video
In the demonstration video, the missile was without a warhead and hit the center circle.
After launching, the missile gains altitude, which likely reaches exoatmospheric heights, and then changes its flight vector downward, where it hits the target. The launch demonstration was attended by Pakistan's Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Naveed Ashraf, senior officers of the Pakistan Navy, scientists, and engineers. The ballistic missile carrier was not named, but in the first shots, a mast with a radar antenna is clearly visible.
The mast of the SMASH missile carrier ship.
Freeze frame from ISPR video
After reviewing the list of active ships of the Pakistani Navy, we determined the type of carrier: these are Zulfiquar class frigates based on the Chinese Type 053H3.
The mast of the PNS Zulfiquar (251).
Fragment from a photo by Horst Rahmelow
In total, the Pakistan Navy has four representatives of this project:
- PNS Zulfiquar, in service since September 19, 2009
- PNS Shamsheer, in service since December 19, 2009
- PNS Saif, commissioned into the Navy on September 15, 2010
- PNS Aslat, built with technology transfer by KS&EW Ltd. and commissioned on April 17, 2013.
They are carriers of Chinese C-802 anti-ship missiles located in angled launchers, four on each side.
Launching pads for firing C-802 anti-ship missiles from the PNS Zulfiquar (251).
Photo credits: Mak Hon Keong
The extent to which the control system on the ship has been modified to launch the new missiles is unknown, nor is the design of the new guides or which of the four frigates was the test platform.