Pakistani missile targeting strategies can be analysed from the following groupings in terms of ranges and characteristics. From a deductive analysis, the targeting strategy in terms of the different series appears to be as under. (See Map)
PAKISTAN’S BALLISTIC MISSILE ARSENAL:
Development and Acquisition Philosophy.
The decade of the 1990s witnessed the dramatic emergence of Pakistan’s nuclear weaponisation programme that had begun in 1960's because of the indian aquisition of weapons of mass destruction. It would have been logical to expect that a missile delivery programme for its nuclear weapons would be conducted concurrently. However, the outlines of an integrated Pakistani missile development plan began to appear only in the 1980s, though experimentation with sound ranging rockets had begun in the earlier decade.
Pakistan’s missile programme is termed as dramatic because in a short span commencing in 1991 this country has demonstrated the development of a long range potent missile arsenal with nuclear warhead capabilities.
Strategically, at the turn of the millennium, Pakistan can justifiably boast that not only has it offset India’s overwhelming conventional superiority by its nuclear weaponisation , but also has outstripped India’s missile development programmes which have proceeded slowly both due to domestic and external restraints.
Pakistan Missile Development /Acquisition Programme - The Stimulus
Multiple stimuli existed for Pakistan to go into over-drive for an accelerated missile development and acquisition programme. The decade of the 1990's could better be termed as a ‘Pakistan missile acquisition decade’ rather than a development one. There were more acquisitions than development.
Pakistan was impelled by the following stimuli, when contemporary developments are analysed:
* Pakistan had achieved nuclear weapons capability by 1987, but its only means of delivery were aircraft, basically the US-F16s.
* United States embargo on F-16 deliveries as a result of Pressler Amendment rendered Pakistan’s nuclear weapons capability vulnerable.
* Ballistic missiles had emerged as more potently destructive weapons and cost-effective options by 1990-91. This was evident from the Iran-Iraq war of the 1980s, the war in Afghanistan and the Gulf War.
* China, by, now had emerged as a source of ready supply of ballistic missiles for the Islamic world.
* Pakistan’s strategic nexus with China enabled an easy and assured access for build-up of Pakistan’s missile arsenal as it was for Pakistan’s nuclear weaponisation.
The stage was thus propitiously set for build -up of Pakistan’s missile arsenal. Unlike its struggle to acquire wherewithal for nuclear weapons production, Pakistan faced no problem in missile acquisition or production.
Pakistan’s Missile Development and Acquisition Philosophy
Strategically, Pakistan was aware that in terms of a missile build-up, it was running against time. Pakistan had nuclear weapons, but with aircraft delivery capability only. Aircraft had limitations both in terms of range of delivery of nuclear weapons and so also penetration of India’s air-defence systems. Pakistan was also sensitive to the indigenous development of India’s integrated missile development programme. India’s programme was slow but potent and threatening for Pakistan.
Pakistan’s missile build-up philosophy, therefore, differed markedly from India’s. Analysis of events, indicate that Pakistan’s missile build-up philosophy was grounded on the following guidelines:
* Speed was the uppermost imperative in terms of build-up of Pakistan’s missile arsenal
* Direct off- the- shelf acquisition of missiles for Pak arsenal was Priority I requirement .
* Indigenous Pakistani missile development programme was Priority II. Or, at best , to proceed concurrently.
* The indigenous Pakistani missile development and production programme should not waste time on indigenous R&D. It should follow a dual-track path:
Track I
Assembly of imported missiles in Pakistan from what at best could be termed as SKDs (semi knocked down) kits and CKDs (completely knocked down) kits.
Track II
Indigenous fabrication of above missiles sub-systems and propellants in a graduated manner. Track I would enable a quantitative jump in indigenous Pakistan’s missile production expertise.
The above philosophy finds reflection in Pakistan’s missile arsenal, both in terms of composition and capabilities.
Pakistan’s Missile Arsenal: Composition and Capabilities
Pakistan’s missile arsenal when discussed in the media or in academic publications tends to get listed as one long list. Further, Pakistan’s deception measures in relation to its missile arsenal tends to confuse analysts by giving HATF serial numbers to subsequent developments. This is aimed at both for passing off latest acquisitions as indigenous and confounding analysts.
For a more orderly analysis of Pakistan’s missile arsenal and also in terms of range, propulsions systems and capabilities the Pakistani arsenal needs to be viewed in the following groupings:
* HATF series
* GHAURI series
* SHAHEEN series
* M-11
PAKISTAN'S MISSILE ARSENAL: Composition,Capabilities and Characteristics
HATF1 1989 80 500 Single Solid Indigenous O
HATF 1A 1992 100 500 Single Solid Indigenous O
HATF II 1989 300 500 Two Solid PRC (M11) D
HATF III 1997 600-800 500 Two Solid PRC D
GHAURI I 1998 1500 500-750 Single Liquid DPRK/PRC T
GHAURI II 1999 1500-2300 700 Two Liquid DPRK/PRC T
SHAHEEN I 1999 750 1000 Two Solid PRC (M 9) T
SHAHEEN II 2000 2500 1000 Two Solid PRC T
M-11 1991-1998 300 500-800 Two Solid PRC S
The groupings of Pakistani missile arsenal analysed thus also finds reflection in terms of distribution of development and fabrication within Pakistan, which is as follows:
Missile Series Propellant Pakistan Development/Fabrication Scientists
HATF Solid SUPARCO (Initially) Now likely NDC
GHAURI Liquid AQ Khan Research Lab Kahuta Dr. AQ Khan
SHAHEEN Solid PAEC National Defence Complex (NDC) Fathehganj Prof. Samar Mubarak Mund
In terms of analysis of missiles by ranges as per international classification standards the Pakistani missiles can be categorised as under:
* SRBM- HATF series, SHAHEEN 1 and M-11
* MRBM- GHAURI series
* IRBM - SHAHEEN II
Note: In terms of US classification system both GHAURI and SHAHEEN series are IRBMs
Thus Pakistan in a short span has been able to buildup its missile targeting capabilities to IRBM ranges.
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