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Shaheen-II

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Shaheen-II / Hatf-VI
TypeMedium Range Ballistic Missile (MRBM)
Place of origin Pakistan
Service history
In service9 March 2004
Used by Pakistan
Production history
ManufacturerNational Defence Complex (NDC)
Specifications
Mass25,000 kg
(Re-entry vehicle 1,050 kg)
Length17.5 m
Diameter1.4 m
WarheadConventional high-explosive or nuclear
EngineTwo-stage solid fuel rocket motor
Flight altitude100-300km
Guidance
system
Inertial navigation system
GPS satellite guidance[citation needed]
Launch
platform
Transporter erector launcher (TEL)

The Shaheen-II (Urdu: شاهين) is ballistic missile[1][2] developed by NESCOM's National Defence Complex (NDC) of Pakistan. The Shaheen missile series is named after a falcon that lives in the mountains of Pakistan. The missile is considered to be Pakistan's equivalent to the US Pershing II.

Description

The Shaheen-II is a, a longer ranged variant of the Shaheen-I missile. It is currently the most advanced ballistic missile in service with the Pakistani Armed Forces.[citation needed] It uses a two-stage solid propellant rocket motor designed to carry conventional or nuclear payloads. It is transported and launched by a 6-axle transporter erector launcher (TEL). According to U.S. based analysts, a satellite image of a Pakistani missile production facility taken on 5 June 2005 shows fifteen 6-axle TELs being fitted out for the Shaheen 2 missile.[3]

Shaheen-II was successfully test fired for the first time on March 9, 2004. At that time, the National Engineering and Science Commission (NESCOM) chairman Samar Mubarakmand stated that the missile was a two-stage rocket with diameter of 1.4 m, length of 17.5 m, weight of 25 tons and a range of 2,500 km.

Re-entry vehicle

The re-entry vehicle carried by the Shaheen-II missile has a mass of 1050 kg, which includes the mass of a nuclear warhead and a terminal guidance system.[citation needed] The terminal guidance system is most likely a radar correlation terminal seeker, which allows the warhead to achieve a CEP in the range of 350 m[4][5] (similar to the Pershing II missile[6]).

This re-entry vehicle is unlike that of the Shaheen-I in that it has four moving delta control fins at the rear and small solid/liquid-propellant side thrust motors, which are used to orientate the re-entry vehicle after the booster stage is depleted or before re-entry to improve accuracy by providing stabilization during the terminal phase. This can also be used to fly evasive manoeuvres, making it immensely problematic for existing anti-ballistic missile (ABM) defence systems to successfully intercept the missile. The Shaheen-II warhead may change its trajectory several times during re-entry and during the terminal phase, effectively preventing ABM radar systems from pre-calculating intercept points. The re-entry vehicle is also stated to utilise a GPS satellite guidance system to provide updates on its position, further improving its accuracy and reducing the CEP.[7][8]


Foreign sources claim the missile to have an accuracy of 350 m CEP based on speculation that the design is the same or similar to one of several Chinese systems such as the M-18 or DF-25.[4] [5] However, according to a press video shown by NDC at the IDEAS 2004 defence exhibition in Pakistan, the missile can achieve "surgical precision". This has lead to speculation that Shaheen II incorporates a satellite navigation update system and/or a post separation attitude correction system to provide terminal course correction, which "may indicate a CEP of much less than 300 m."[9]


Future developments

Since deployment of the 2,500 km range Shaheen-II, a multiple independently targeted re-entry vehicle (MIRV) system is under development which may be first fielded on the Shaheen II.[10]

See also

Related developments
Related lists

List of missiles

References

  1. ^ Ballistic and Cruise Missile Threat - Federation of American Scientists.
  2. ^ Greisler, David. Handbook of technology management in public administration. CRC Press, 2006. ISBN 1-57444-564-2, 9781574445640. {{cite book}}: Check |isbn= value: invalid character (help)
  3. ^ "Archive | Your Source of News on the World Wide Web". Dawn.Com. Retrieved 2011-03-27.
  4. ^ a b Duncan Lennox; Hatf 6 (Shaheen 2), Jane’s Strategic Weapon Systems; June 15, 2004.
  5. ^ a b "Haft 6". Missile Threat. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
  6. ^ The Pershing Weapon System And Its Elimination
  7. ^ How 'Shaheen' Was Developed
  8. ^ "Hatf 6". MissileThreat. Retrieved 2011-03-27.
  9. ^ Strategy Center Details
  10. ^ "Pakistan Pushes To Improve Missile Strike Capability". Defense News. 2008-11-17. Retrieved 2011-03-27.
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