Windjammer
ELITE MEMBER
- Joined
- Nov 9, 2009
- Messages
- 41,319
- Reaction score
- 181
- Country
- Location
Securing the Coasts; Pakistani Navy Tests New Anti Ship Cruise Missile
April-25th-2019
Pakistani Zarb Anti Ship Cruise Missile
Pakistan’s navy has recently tested a number of land based and air launched anti ship cruise missile systems to complement the Chinese manufactured YJ-12 missiles deployed from its JF-17 fighters, with these efforts seen as key to securing the country’s coasts from attack from the larger and fast expanding navy of neighbouring India. An unnamed new missile with dual anti ship and land attack functions was successfully tested in the North Arabian Sea, and was monitored from warships of the Pakistani Navy. The Pakistani military’s Inter Services Public Relations stated in a press release regarding the launch: "The missile accurately hit its target on land, signifying the impressive capabilities of the indigenous missile system. The successful live weapon firing has once again demonstrated the credible firepower of Pakistan Navy and the impeccable level of indigenisation in high-tech weaponry achieved by Pakistan's defence industry.” Further tests against mock naval targets, including moving targets at sea, are likely to be carried out before the missile is designed fully operational. Such targets are considerably more difficult to neutralise than immobile land targets, and the ability to do so at long ranges and with precision remains vital for anti ship cruise missiles.
JF-17 Fighter with YJ-12 Anti Ship Cruise Missiles
Pakistan’s armed forces have invested particularly heavily in recent years in modernising naval and anti-ship capabilities, and since 2016 indigenous anti ship cruise missile designs tested include the Zarb ground based platform, the Harba - which is capable of both anti ship and land attack roles, and the Babur 1B and Babur Version 2 - 700km range low-flying, terrain-hugging platforms. The Navy also tested its first submarine launched nuclear capable cruise missile, the Babur III, in 2017 - which is a major game changer for the country’s nuclear delivery capabilities - allowing it to evade heavy concentrations of Indian air defence systems on the Western border and enter Indian airspace from almost anywhere along the country’s vast southern and eastern coasts. The Pakistani Navy has also placed an order for four formidable Chinese Type 054AP Class frigates and Type 039A diesel-electric submarines - a welcome replacement for the ageing and far lighter French built Agosta-90B and Agosta-70 Class ships.
Chinese Type 054AP Class Frigate
Pakistan’s most formidable anti ship cruise missile remains the YJ-12, which is comparable but in many ways superior to the Indian BrahMos with a speed of Mach 4, a 500kg warhead and a 400km range. While the missile was initially developed to replace the Russian Kh-31A, and was deployed by Chinese H-6 bombers and JH-6 strike fighters, the missile was later adapted for use by J-11B and Su-30 fighters. As Pakistan lacked any of these aircraft, Sino-Pakistani JF-17 fighters were later adapted to carry the YJ-12 in pairs. These missiles are extremely difficult to intercept due to their considerable speeds and low trajectories, and are capable of disabling even larger combat vessels with a single direct hit - with even the slower Mach 3 BrahMos tearing warships in half during testing. As the Indian Navy commissions ever more advanced surface vessles, including the stealthy Upgraded Krivak III Class frigates and the Visakhapatnam Class destroyers, the need for asymmetric means of countering them continues to grow.
April-25th-2019
Pakistani Zarb Anti Ship Cruise Missile
Pakistan’s navy has recently tested a number of land based and air launched anti ship cruise missile systems to complement the Chinese manufactured YJ-12 missiles deployed from its JF-17 fighters, with these efforts seen as key to securing the country’s coasts from attack from the larger and fast expanding navy of neighbouring India. An unnamed new missile with dual anti ship and land attack functions was successfully tested in the North Arabian Sea, and was monitored from warships of the Pakistani Navy. The Pakistani military’s Inter Services Public Relations stated in a press release regarding the launch: "The missile accurately hit its target on land, signifying the impressive capabilities of the indigenous missile system. The successful live weapon firing has once again demonstrated the credible firepower of Pakistan Navy and the impeccable level of indigenisation in high-tech weaponry achieved by Pakistan's defence industry.” Further tests against mock naval targets, including moving targets at sea, are likely to be carried out before the missile is designed fully operational. Such targets are considerably more difficult to neutralise than immobile land targets, and the ability to do so at long ranges and with precision remains vital for anti ship cruise missiles.
JF-17 Fighter with YJ-12 Anti Ship Cruise Missiles
Pakistan’s armed forces have invested particularly heavily in recent years in modernising naval and anti-ship capabilities, and since 2016 indigenous anti ship cruise missile designs tested include the Zarb ground based platform, the Harba - which is capable of both anti ship and land attack roles, and the Babur 1B and Babur Version 2 - 700km range low-flying, terrain-hugging platforms. The Navy also tested its first submarine launched nuclear capable cruise missile, the Babur III, in 2017 - which is a major game changer for the country’s nuclear delivery capabilities - allowing it to evade heavy concentrations of Indian air defence systems on the Western border and enter Indian airspace from almost anywhere along the country’s vast southern and eastern coasts. The Pakistani Navy has also placed an order for four formidable Chinese Type 054AP Class frigates and Type 039A diesel-electric submarines - a welcome replacement for the ageing and far lighter French built Agosta-90B and Agosta-70 Class ships.
Chinese Type 054AP Class Frigate
Pakistan’s most formidable anti ship cruise missile remains the YJ-12, which is comparable but in many ways superior to the Indian BrahMos with a speed of Mach 4, a 500kg warhead and a 400km range. While the missile was initially developed to replace the Russian Kh-31A, and was deployed by Chinese H-6 bombers and JH-6 strike fighters, the missile was later adapted for use by J-11B and Su-30 fighters. As Pakistan lacked any of these aircraft, Sino-Pakistani JF-17 fighters were later adapted to carry the YJ-12 in pairs. These missiles are extremely difficult to intercept due to their considerable speeds and low trajectories, and are capable of disabling even larger combat vessels with a single direct hit - with even the slower Mach 3 BrahMos tearing warships in half during testing. As the Indian Navy commissions ever more advanced surface vessles, including the stealthy Upgraded Krivak III Class frigates and the Visakhapatnam Class destroyers, the need for asymmetric means of countering them continues to grow.
