‘Mysterious metal objects’ in Dadu fell from Hatf V missile: ISPR

[The Deterrent]

Why Is Pakistan’s Latest Nuclear Missile Test Different?

By Shireen Mazari


Welcome to the Strategic Command and Control Support System. Now Pakistani leadership can ‘stay in the strategic loop’ 24/7. Our command structure is completely indigenous.

Pakistan’s latest test of its medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM) is a welcome development. The significance of this test is not in the Ghauri missile per se but in the working of the now fully automated Strategic Command and Control Support System (SCCSS).

This included not just the test firing of the liquid fuelled MRBM Hatf V (Ghauri)-now already a part of the Strategic Missile Force of Pakistan Army with a range of up to 1300 kilometers-but also testing the SCCSS.

It was the testing of the latter that was the central purpose of this exercise today.

The fully automated SCCSS enables robust Command and Control capability of all strategic assets. The National Command leadership is now able to monitor round-the-clock situational awareness in a digitized network-centric environment.

In other words, monitoring of the strategic assets can be done from the National Command and Control Center through the automated control support systems. The successful test of the Ghauri – with the ability to carry nuclear warheads, via the linkage with SCCSS – has strengthened the security and robustness of the strategic nuclear assets and also enabled the national leadership to be constantly in the strategic loop 24/7.

This centralized control enhances safety and security of the strategic assets by ensuring centralized leadership control at all times.

The most significant part of the testing of the SCCSS through the launch of the Ghauri series missile as part of the field training exercise of the Army Strategic Force Command was proving the viability of the increasingly indigenous structured architecture of Pakistan’s nuclear command and control.

Our civilian leadership has now been totally brought into the strategic nuclear command and control structures. It is up to them to understand these structures and the role they must play to sustain and strengthen them. It is a grave responsibility and they must educate themselves wisely in bearing it responsibly.

About the Author: Shireen M. Mazari, PhD, is a Pakistani political scientist and a prominent geostrategist, currently serving as Vice President for foreign and security affairs of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf [Pakistan Movement of Justice]. She is the former director-general of Islamabad Institute of Strategic Studies [IISS].

Why Is Pakistan’s Latest Nuclear Missile Test Different?

 

[XYON]

@XYON : Sir Jee...you appear to have inside information on what goes on in the military....clear the air for us ?

Pakistani long range missiles are generally fired in a straight line over a restricted air corridor starting from Tillah Ranges in Jhelum all the way to Somiani Range at sea-side in Baluchistan. At the time of firing it is ensured that there is no air traffic in the flight corridor. It is also ensured that the land below remains sparsely populated in case the missile malfunctions and falls. ''Successful'' is a relative term in missile launches in Pakistan. Success has nothing to do with the missile flying from point A to B. Success can be a test of proverbial failures also, just as the one we have seen here. As per my information, this launch was basically a test of advanced launching criteria and not of whether the missile correctly hit the intended target. That is why it has been termed as a ''success'' perhaps! As far as the falling parts are concerned, well that happens as equipment failure is universal. If brand new & state-of-the-art US Tomahawk Cruise Missiles call fall off the sky and bounce on the ground (during Clinton era) to bless Pakistan with knowledge to build our own, then one Ghauri or Shaheen parts falling every now and then may be accepted under the attrition scale. In short, the parts SHOULD NOT HAVE FALLEN as they did here,calling the test a failure or success under such an event remains either seeing the glass half full or half empty!

In order to avoid population centers, SPD is currently working to shift the air corridor of missile testing further towards the environs of area consisting of launch from somewhere in KPK all the way to somewhere near Ormara. Plans are to build state-of-the-art launch and impact monitoring facilities. The only drawback of course is ........... no money at this time!

 

[Aamir Hussain]

an observation: flight control contol computer and gyroscopes were housed in the initial stage (seperated) and not the terminal/delivery stage! Something is wrong here.

 

[Manas]

an observation: flight control contol computer and gyroscopes were housed in the initial stage (seperated) and not the terminal/delivery stage! Something is wrong here.

Yaa ,the flight control computer falls off 100 miles away from the target. So missile test is successfool and mission campleetee.
There goes the song "it happens only in pakistan"

 

[trident2010]

Yaa ,the flight control computer falls off 100 miles away from the target. So missile test is successfool and mission campleetee.
There goes the song "it happens only in pakistan"

As XYON mentioned earlier that the missile hitting the target may not be the intention of the test, they wanted to test new modifications in electronics and networks which they claim working as intended.

Missile failures are very common, and as an Indian we know it very well.

 

[Manas]

As XYON mentioned earlier that the missile hitting the target may not be the intention of the test, they wanted to test new modifications in electronics and networks which they claim working as intended.

Missile failures are very common, and as an Indian we know it very well.

U mean to say those components are supposed to fall off over Dadu ,it wasn't accidental ??

And as u explain new modifications in electronics and networks in the missile system did this ?? and the tests are still called sucessful.

 

[trident2010]

U mean to say those components are supposed to fall off over Dadu ,it wasn't accidental ??

And as u explain new modifications in electronics and networks in the missile system did this ?? and the tests are still called sucessful.

What I meant to say is may be they wanted to test new electronics and network systems which were working as expected but ofcourse there was something wrong with launch itself thats why component fall off off the course.

 

[Ammyy]

Pakistan will never accept any thing officially .... This is how they have 100% success record

 

[ajtr]

Pakistan will never accept any thing officially .... This is how they have 100% success record

Instead pakistan has so much confidence in its missiles that it test them over populated areas.unlike india......

 

[karan.1970]

Instead pakistan has so much confidence in its missiles that it test them over populated areas.unlike india......

You mean unlike rest of the world

And yes, there are other such ridiculous strategies Pakistan has tried against India in past which have backfired as well

 

[Capt.Popeye]

an observation: flight control contol computer and gyroscopes were housed in the initial stage (seperated) and not the terminal/delivery stage! Something is wrong here.

@Aamir Hussain,
You are quite right. The debris is from the Control and Guidance Bay, just below the warhead section. Something is seriously amiss here.
The citizens of Dadu were lucky this time. They did not have their "Chicken Little" moment. Of course, as Xyon tried to say; one can see it as the glass being half-full or half-empty. But for this "near-miss", the folks in Dadu might have had to wonder if they are half-dead or half-alive.

 

[Sinnerman108]

U mean to say those components are supposed to fall off over Dadu ,it wasn't accidental ??

And as u explain new modifications in electronics and networks in the missile system did this ?? and the tests are still called sucessful.

The point to notice is that there are about 10 hours between the missile test and the debry coming down.

I am not debating, weather or not some thing went wrong; it surely did. I am just not sure WHAT !

the time difffence is the key to what might have happened, and why the electronics fell that far away.

Pakistan will never accept any thing officially .... This is how they have 100% success record

feeling sick again are we ?

Last time I asked you the great equations you used ......

 

[razgriz19]

so this is Hatf V 's flight control computer ..? now, how can a missile fly to its target without its flight control computer ..?

it could be the flight control unit for the first stage.
the spokesperson said it was suppose to separate...

 

[razgriz19]

ghauri missile is the least advanced missile in military's inventory.
this liquid fuel missile is not thee most ideal missile, because it cannot store fuel for long period. it must be refuel before the launch, which takes time. the only advantage this missile have is that its CHEAP!

every missile made after the ghauri series are solid fuel BM, they can store fuel for a long period of time thus making them ready 24/7.
but they are expensive as hell. The only reason PA has these missiles is because they can have them in numbers.

 

[Myth_buster_1]

187 kg debris. They should have taken some better place to test the missiles. Luckily no damage to life or property.

In that case, Indian Airforce needs to take a better place farrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr away from public to fly their planes.