Pakistan Views

Pakistan successfully tested a nuclear-capable, air-launched cruise missile with a range of 350 km (220 miles) on Thursday, the military said, a day after India tested a long-range missile.The Hatf-VIII (Ra’ad) missile had been developed exclusively for launch from aircraft, a military statement said.”It has enabled Pakistan to achieve a greater strategic stand-off capability on land and at sea,” it said.The indigenously developed missile also had special stealth capabilities and could deliver all types of warheads with great accuracy, the military said. The missile test is part of a continuing process of validating the design parameters of the weapon system. The indigenously developed Ra’ad with a range of 350 kms, has been developed exclusively for launch from Aerial Platforms, it has enabled Pakistan to achieve a greater strategic stand off capability on land and at sea.It is worth mentioning that the complex cruise missile technology has been developed by only a few countries of the world. The state of the art Ra’ad cruise missile has special stealth capabilities. It is a Low Altitude, Terrain Following Missile with high maneuverability, and can deliver all types of warheads, with great accuracy.In an exclusive message, President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani have congratulated the scientists and engineers on their outstanding success.