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All you need to know about Pakistan's nastiest weapon: Tactical nukes
We take a look at Pakistan's tactical nuclear weapons, the HATF-9 ballistic missile, and the threat they pose to India.
IndiaToday.in | Posted by Avarnita Mathur
New Delhi, September 28, 2016 | UPDATED 20:27 IST
A +A -
HIGHLIGHTS
Tension between India and Pakistan has escalated since the recent attack on an Indian Army camp in Uri in Kashmir which left 19 soldiers dead.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in her speech at United Nations General Assembly this week, stated that Pakistan should abandon its ambitions to claim Kashmir, in response to Pakistani PM asserting that foreign forces were trying to destabilise Pakistan.
The Pakistani Air Force has the F-16 fighter jet in its fleet. The jet is capable of delivering nuclear weapons.
Amid the war of words between India and Pakistan, there have been a number of statements from Islamabad threatening India with nuclear weapons. We take a look at Pakistan's tactical nuclear weapons, the HATF-9 ballistic missile, and the threat they pose to India.
Also read:
ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW:
HATF-9 is a short range ballistic missile, designed for 'battlefield' use which has a range of up to 60 kilometres. Destruction caused by this missile is much lesser than an atomic bomb.
Pakistan produces 10-12 nuke warheads every year.
ALSO READ: The dirty bomb
Intent: Halt march of Indian Army
Strategy: Checkmate India's cold start doctrine
NEW WEAPON, NEW CHALLENGES
India has no tactical nuclear warheads, its nuclear doctrine is of 'massive retaliation'
Tactical nuclear warheads pose unprecedented challenges. Though they have never been used globally, Pakistan army has been deploying tactical nukes for battlefield use. Pakistan is capable of using tactical nukes on its own soil to halt India's march.
India, however, has declared its policy of 'no first use'.
TACTICAL NUKES VS STRATEGIC NUKES
Tactical nuke: Yield 0.3 tons
Strategic nuke: Yield 100 kiloton onwards
Tactical nuke: Casualty - 25-100
Strategic nuke: Casualty - 1 lakh to 1 million
Tactical nuke: Destruction - Rival army's battlefield formation
Strategic nuke: Destruction - Entire city
Tactical nuke: Control - Centralised with army headquarters
Strategic nuke: Control - Delegated to junior officers
Tactical nuke: Delivery system - Short range missile, suitcase nukes, artillery shells
Strategic nuke: Delivery system - Long range missile system
ALSO WATCH: What if terrorists get their hands on a radioactive dirty bomb?
RISKS OF TACTICAL NUKES
http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/pakistan-army-tactical-nuclear-weapon-hatf-9/1/775395.html
We take a look at Pakistan's tactical nuclear weapons, the HATF-9 ballistic missile, and the threat they pose to India.
IndiaToday.in | Posted by Avarnita Mathur
New Delhi, September 28, 2016 | UPDATED 20:27 IST
A +A -
HIGHLIGHTS
- 1
Tension between India, Pakistan escalated since Uri attack. - 2
Pakistan produces 10-12 nuke warheads every year. - 3
India has no tactical nuclear warheads, its nuclear doctrine is of 'massive retaliation'
Tension between India and Pakistan has escalated since the recent attack on an Indian Army camp in Uri in Kashmir which left 19 soldiers dead.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in her speech at United Nations General Assembly this week, stated that Pakistan should abandon its ambitions to claim Kashmir, in response to Pakistani PM asserting that foreign forces were trying to destabilise Pakistan.
Amid the war of words between India and Pakistan, there have been a number of statements from Islamabad threatening India with nuclear weapons. We take a look at Pakistan's tactical nuclear weapons, the HATF-9 ballistic missile, and the threat they pose to India.
Also read:
ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW:
HATF-9 is a short range ballistic missile, designed for 'battlefield' use which has a range of up to 60 kilometres. Destruction caused by this missile is much lesser than an atomic bomb.
Pakistan produces 10-12 nuke warheads every year.
ALSO READ: The dirty bomb
Intent: Halt march of Indian Army
Strategy: Checkmate India's cold start doctrine
NEW WEAPON, NEW CHALLENGES
India has no tactical nuclear warheads, its nuclear doctrine is of 'massive retaliation'
Tactical nuclear warheads pose unprecedented challenges. Though they have never been used globally, Pakistan army has been deploying tactical nukes for battlefield use. Pakistan is capable of using tactical nukes on its own soil to halt India's march.
India, however, has declared its policy of 'no first use'.
TACTICAL NUKES VS STRATEGIC NUKES
Tactical nuke: Yield 0.3 tons
Strategic nuke: Yield 100 kiloton onwards
Tactical nuke: Casualty - 25-100
Strategic nuke: Casualty - 1 lakh to 1 million
Tactical nuke: Destruction - Rival army's battlefield formation
Strategic nuke: Destruction - Entire city
Tactical nuke: Control - Centralised with army headquarters
Strategic nuke: Control - Delegated to junior officers
Strategic nuke: Delivery system - Long range missile system
ALSO WATCH: What if terrorists get their hands on a radioactive dirty bomb?
RISKS OF TACTICAL NUKES
- Authorisation to use nuke war heads delegated to junior officers.
- Vulnerable to battlefield accidents.
- Susceptible to unauthorised use.
- Risk of missile falling into jihadi hands.
http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/pakistan-army-tactical-nuclear-weapon-hatf-9/1/775395.html
