The Pakistani military has launched a version of its Babur cruise missile with an extended range. According to the Associated Press, a munition called Babur 1B can hit targets at a distance of more than 900 kilometers. Its early version had a range of only 450 kilometers.
Pakistan began developing the Babur missile in the nineties in response to the Indian missile program. These munitions can carry both conventional and nuclear warheads. They are 6.2 meters long and 0.52 meters in diameter. Their wingspan is 2.5 meters, and their mass is about 1.5 thousand kilograms. The first version of the missile with a range of 500 kilometers was tested in 2005. It was launched from a ground installation.
In 2017, the Armed Forces of Pakistan tested Babur-3, a modification of Babur for launching from submarines. The range of this missile is 450 kilometers, and other details are unknown. The Pakistani military is thinking of using it as a retaliatory weapon in the event of a nuclear conflict.
On December 21, the Pakistani military announced that it had conducted a test launch of a new version of Babur called Babur 1B. Compared to the earlier modification, it has twice the range and can hit targets at a distance of more than 900 kilometers. Other details about the ammunition are not specified.
Other weapons are also being developed in Pakistan. For example, the Burraq attack drone, which has already been tested in a combat operation.
Vasilisa Chernyavtseva
