Pakistan Nuclear-Capable Missile Test Successful

Pakistan Nuclear-Capable Missile Test Successfulhttp://mnweekly.rian.ru/world/20070726/55263972.html

26/07/2007
ISLAMABAD (RIA Novosti) - Pakistan successfully tested its Babur Hatf VII cruise missile, capable of carrying a variety of warheads, including nuclear, local television channels said citing military sources Thursday.

It was the second test of the Babur this year. The original test was conducted in 2005. The military said they had extended the range of the missile from 500 to 700 kilometers (300-430 miles).

Early this year, Pakistan test-fired a new version of its long-range nuclear-capable missile, the Shaheen II (Hatf VI), which has a range of 2,000 kilometers (1,245 miles), and the Abdali (Hatf II) missile by a range of 180 kilometers (112 miles) as part of a program to modernize its missile arsenal, the military said.

Pakistan and its longstanding rival, India, which have fought three wars in the past half-century, have routinely carried out tit-for-tat missile tests. In 1998, they both conducted underground nuclear tests.

The two states have been in talks to resolve their main dispute over Kashmir, a region on the Himalayas, but have achieved no breakthrough so far.

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Pakistan tests nuclear-capable cruise missile
Posted 10 hours 16 minutes ago

The Pakistani military says the country has successfully test fired its nuclear-capable radar-dodging cruise missile.

A military statement says the indigenously developed Babur (Hatf-VII) missile has a range of 700 kilometres and "near stealth" properties.

The missile was last tested in March and first fired in 2005, since then its range has been increased from 500 kilometres.

"The missile test is part of a continuous process of validating the design parameters set for this weapon system," the statement said.

It said President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz congratulated the scientists and engineers "on this very important success."

"The Babur, which has near stealth capabilities, is a low flying, terrain hugging missile with high manoeuvrability, pinpoint accuracy and radar avoidance features," the statement said.

"The test will consolidate Pakistan's strategic capability and strengthen national security."

Pakistan and India have routinely conducted missile tests since the nuclear-armed south Asian rivals carried out tit-for-tat nuclear detonations in May 1998.

However, in 2004 they launched a slow-moving peace process aimed at ending six decades of hostility and resolving their dispute over the Himalayan territory of Kashmir, the cause of two of their three wars.

In February, Pakistan signed a historic deal with India to cut the risk of atomic weapons accidents.

- AFP

http://abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/07/26/1989470.htm?section=world

 

Pakistan Tests Nuclear-Capable Missile

Thursday July 26, 2007 6:46 AM


ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) - Pakistan said it successfully test-fired a cruise missile Thursday capable of delivering nuclear warheads deep into India.

``The test will consolidate Pakistan's strategic capability and strengthen national security,'' a military statement said, without providing details.

The military says the Babur or Hatf VII missile, first tested in 2005, has a range of about 435 miles - enough to reach the New Delhi, the capital of archrival India.

Pakistan routinely tests various nuclear-capable missiles in its arsenal, believed to be designed mainly to match that of neighboring archrival India.

The two countries have a history of hostile relations. Both carried out underground nuclear tests in May 1998.

However, in 2004 they began a series of negotiations to normalize relations and settle their dispute over the Himalayan territory of Kashmir, the main cause of bitterness between them.

Pakistan and India have fought two wars over Kashmir since their independence from British rule in 1947. Kashmir is split between the two countries, but each claims the whole of it.

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