An ICBM with 7,000-km range on its way?

[Interceptor]

An ICBM with 7,000-km range on its way?

ISHFAQULLAH SHAWL

ISLAMABAD ( 2009-08-13 04:05:16 ) :Pakistan is contemplating developing an Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) with a 7,000 km range to make the country's defence impregnable and strengthen the armed forces of the country against any offence. The plan was evolved after successful test fire of Agni IV, the Indian ICBM system with a target range of 6000 km, which caused an imbalance of power in South Asia, extremely well informed defence sources told Business Recorder here on Wednesday.

Sources maintained that preparations are underway for the development of this long range ballistic missile and very soon it would be test fired. It would have the capacity to carry conventional and nuclear war heads. This missile, if successfully test fired, will be a milestone in the history of the country and a major achievement of scientists and engineers of Pakistan.

The possession of this ICBM not only will make Pakistan's defence impregnable but will also help create a balance of power in the region, which defence analysts believe was disturbed by the Indian test firing of Agni IV missile with a range of 6000 kilometres.

This scribe contacted high officials of the Defence Ministry who claimed ignorance of this development and refused to comment on this matter. The Director General of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), when contacted by this scribe also said that he was not aware of the development of the ICBM with a range of 7000 kilometre. It is pertinent to note that India recently test fired the 6000-kilometer Agni IV Missile with a capacity to hit and destroy targets deep in China.

http://aaj.tv/news/National/143945_detail.html


Lets discuss this important development? Its impact to the region and what it will do to Pakistan's geopolitical status are we moving beyond the needs of detrernce? What will our neighbours make of this development?

If this news is true, I can only empathize with those who are behind the planning of this 7000 km range ICBM. Pakistanis cant get the full meal twice a day, electricity and water are becoming scarce, there is full uprising in Balochistan, Northern front is already burning and we……Who are we going to nuke with this ICBM?

[A1Kaid]

7,000 km (4,349 miles)...


Consider this the distance from NY City to San Francisco is 4,828 Km ( or 3,000 miles) (the width of the US)....

This missile can reach (proximity and close est.) Europe, Moscow, Russia, Israel, Japan, West Africa, and other corners of the Earth. Great technological attainment/achievement by Pakistan.

I believe one of the major motives of Pakistan attaining an ICBM is to counter contemporary and certainly future threats. Considering the historical animosity between Pakistan and Israel, this ICBM will certainly allow Pakistan to counter any Indo-Israeli strikes on Pakistan has had been attempted in the past, by Pakistan making direct strikes on Israeli territory.

Consider the horrible tragedy and genocide of Bosnia by Serbians, Croats, and other Christian ethnic groups in the 1990's. If Pakistan had possessed this ICBM we could have launched the ICBM at Serbia and help protect our Bosnian brothers and friends by striking Serbia. Yes, this ICBM of 7,000km can reach SE Europe and especially the Balkan region, this would have certainly come in handy in the future...

Pakistan is flexing it's muscles and projecting it's missile range, this is a good step in our military affairs and development.

AlKaid, you are not serious are you? ICBMs are worthless if used to deliver conventional warheads. No country, not even the USA used her ICBMs to target its enemies in Iraq or Somalia or in Afghanistan. Even if Pakistan had the ICBMs that could reach Serbia, there was no practical possibility of using them even with conventional warheads. Launching ICBMs is not a joke for their launch could easily start a possible world war.

[A1Kaid]

Everybody complains Pakistan is always "reactive" to threats, well this time Pakistan is "proactive" in meeting future threats. I fully agree, acquiring ICBM's was a great step forward in Pakistan confronting future threats and enhancing it's missile projection capability.


Some may argue that Pakistan's human index is low, or literacy is low, and other socioeconomic arguments, these are all genuine concerns but considering the Geo-Political challenges Pakistan faces and possibly future threats (foreign nations) this was a must. Failure to meet our future defence needs will leave the nation vulnerable. Also, military spending cannot be responsible for the lack of human and social development in Pakistan that is mostly due to poor governance and bad economic strategy and policy.

[A1Kaid]

Originally Posted by Qsaark

AlKaid, you are not serious are you? ICBMs are worthless if used to deliver conventional warheads. No country, not even the USA used her ICBMs to target its enemies in Iraq or Somalia or in Afghanistan. Even if Pakistan had the ICBMs that could reach Serbia, there was no practical possibility of using them even with conventional warheads. Launching ICBMs is not a joke for their launch could easily start a possible world war.

"not even the USA used her ICBMs to target its enemies in Iraq or Somalia or in Afghanistan. "-Qsaark

The US's plan was to directly attack Iraq and Afghanistan via invasion of large military troops and occupy the two countries not simply launch missiles at the two (Iraq and Afghanistan) as this would be ineffective to their publicly stated goals and objectives. ICBM's cannot necessarily bring regime change in Iraq nor Afghanistan, so I believe your point is invalid with all respect.

"Even if Pakistan had the ICBMs that could reach Serbia, there was no practical possibility of using them even with conventional warheads. Launching ICBMs is not a joke for their launch could easily start a possible world war."-Qsaark

I agree launching ICBM's is not a joke neither is genocide, looting, massacre, raping, and burning innocent Bosniaks by the tens-of-thousands. IMO, Pakistan would have had a rightful claim to use ICBM against Serbia in that case, it surely would have harmed Serbian capability and efforts to further war and genocide, we could use satellite coordinates provided by friendly countries namely China or Turkey.

You say it could start a "world war", well so can trying to start or stop a genocide, whether it's through armed forces or ICBM's or other means.

"ICBMs are worthless if used to deliver conventional warheads.-Qsaark"

No ICBM's are not worthless, they are very valuable and strategic they allow a nation to project it's missile firing capability and range at far away enemy threats. They provide a Nation a level of protection and retaliatory capability, for example one reason US has been very hesitant to strike or go to war with North Korea is not only because N.Korea possess a few nukes but because they possess ICBM's that can hit California and Alaska. Even though US has a missile defense shield, it's not 100% and this fear of the US mainland being riddled with North Korean ICBM's causes anxiety and prevents US to thrust war on North Korea (at least for the past decades)....

[Munir]

It is a pretty simple logic. If you do not have nukes... No one takes you serious. If you do not have the means to deliver them then they will use others or the distance to get you... If you have it both then they have to spend cash on protection... That means they will not risk a war.

Besides that someone has to show theat Israeli should stop supporting India with so many offensive weapons.

[duhastmish]

icbm - for paksitan ?? why does pakistan need icbm . they dont have enemy that far away . and even if there are icbm can be stopped without much problem with anti missile.

although i doubt the authenticity of this news - Not because i doubt pakistan's capabiltiy but because pakistan is not so dumb to - get in more trouble than it already is . with the new so called threat to europe and west.

[AhmedSid]

Seriously, this news if True, is sad, because now is not the time for Pakistan to test the Missile, not because of problems at home, but because it will further isolate Pakistan in the world arena, and the next cry we hear will be Taliban will get hold of ICBM!!!! Then the saga of denials and reports and think tanks coming into action to make a quick buck off the story. I say develop the missile, dont test it now, keep for a later stage.

And Please, dont talk of Launching missiles at other nations just as if its childsplay. It is childish to the core!!!!! Its just not that Simple! Ponder over.... a lot!

[AhmedSid]

Originally Posted by Munir

It is a pretty simple logic. If you do not have nukes... No one takes you serious. If you do not have the means to deliver them then they will use others or the distance to get you... If you have it both then they have to spend cash on protection... That means they will not risk a war.

Besides that someone has to show theat Israeli should stop supporting India with so many offensive weapons.

Please dont come to such illogical conclusions. An ICBM wont stop Israel from trading in Military tech. Remember, Israel has been having an ICBM since a long, and they never threatened to nuke you in recent times. Why Bring in Israel and India?? You dont need 7000 KM missile to hit Israel or India you know! Hence India and Israel needs to be left out of the topic.