Pakistan test fires Hatf VIII Ra'ad Stealth ALCM

Pakistan conducted a successful test flight of the indigenously developed air-launched cruise missile, Hatf-VIII (Ra’ad) on Thursday.

A statement issued by Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) said the Ra’ad Missile, with a range of over 350km, enables Pakistan to achieve strategic standoff capability on land and at sea.

‘Cruise technology’ is extremely complex and has been developed by only a few countries in the world.

The Ra’ad cruise missile with stealth capabilities is a low altitude, terrain-hugging missile with high maneuverability, and can deliver nuclear and conventional warheads with pin point accuracy.


Read more: Express Tribune

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India Test Fired Nuclear Capable ICBM Agni-5

India has successfully launched a long-range intercontinental ballistic missile able to carry a nuclear warhead, officials say.

Agni-5 test launch [screen shot from BBC video]

The Agni-V missile was launched from It was launched from Wheeler Island off the coast of the eastern state of Orissa at 0805 local time (0235GMT) on Thursday and took 20 minutes to hit its target somewhere near Indonesia in the Indian Ocean.

Rahul Bedi, Defence analyst says:

With the launch of locally-developed Agni-V, India has joined a small group of countries - up to now only the nuclear-armed powers - with inter-continental range ballistic missiles.

A successful test flight of the missile will strengthen India's nuclear deterrence once it comes into service by 2014-15.

With a range of 5,000km (3,100 miles), the Agni-V is capable of delivering a single 1.5-ton warhead deep inside nuclear rival China's territory.

Read more / watch video of missile launch: BBC News 

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India defers long-range missile test launch

 India on Wednesday postponed the test-launch of its first long-range missile capable of reaching deep into China and as far as Europe due to bad weather, a government official said.

The launch of the Agni V, which can carry nuclear warheads and has a range of 5,000 km (3,125 miles), will thrust the emerging Asian power into an elite club of nations with intercontinental nuclear defence capabilities.

"Due to heavy lightning in the area, the scheduled test flight of Agni V has been postponed til tomorrow for safety reasons," defence ministry spokesman Sitanshu Kar told Reuters.

Read details: Reuters

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India to test-fire Agni-5 missile that puts all China within range

India plans to test-launch a nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missile soon that would put the whole of China within its range, the Press Trust of India news agency said Monday.

The launch could be carried out as early as Wednesday, PTI said, quoting scientists familiar with the missile project.

The test-launch involves an Agni-5 missile, a three-stage solid-fuel rocket with a range of 5,000 kilometers.

Currently, only the United States, China and Russia have capabilities to launch this class of nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missiles.

Read details: Mainichi

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Iran reports nuclear progress as sanctions loom

[ via Reuters ] 1 Jan 2012

Iran announced a nuclear fuel breakthrough and test-fired a new radar-evading medium-range missile in the Gulf on Sunday, moves that could further antagonize the West at a time when Tehran is trying to avert harsh new sanctions on its oil industry.

Screen shot from video of the missile test fire (watch video at Reuters)

The move could for the first time hurt Tehran's oil exports, and the European Union is due to consider similar steps soon.

Read more: Reuters

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