Babur (cruise missile)

Subsonic cruise missile

This article is about the Pakistani cruise missile. For other uses, see Babar (disambiguation).

Babur Missile

Type| GLCM/SLCM/AshM
Place of origin| Pakistan
Service history
In service| 2010–Present[1]
Used by|  Pakistan Army
(Army Strategic Forces)
[ Pakistan Navy
(Naval Strategic Forces)
Production history
Designer| National Defence Complex
Designed| 1998–2008 (GLCM)
2001–2018 (SLCM)
Manufacturer| National Defence Complex
Variants| See variants
Specifications (Technical data)
Mass| 1,500 kg (3,300 lb)[1]
Length| 6.2 m (20 ft)
Diameter| 0.52 m (20 in)
Wingspan| 2.50 m (8.2 ft)

* * *

Maximum firing range| 900 km (560 mi)
Warhead| HE/NE
Warhead weight| 450 kg (990 lb) – 500 kg (1,100 lb)
Blast yield| 5 kilotons of TNT (21 TJ) – 12 kilotons of TNT (50 TJ)[2]

* * *

Engine| Turbojet
Transmission| Automatic
Suspension| WS2500 10WD
Propellant| Liquid-propellant (jet engine)
Solid-propellant (booster)

Operational
range

| Babur-I: 700 km (430 mi)[1]
Babur-IA: 450 km[3]
Babur-II: 750 km (470 mi)[4]
Babur-III: 450 km (280 mi; 240 nmi)[5]
Harbah: 700 km (430 mi; 380 nmi)[6]
Babur-IB: 900 km (560 mi)[7]
Harbah export variant: 290 km (180 mi; 160 nmi)[6]
Flight altitude| Terrain-following
Maximum speed | 0.7 Mach. (subsonic)
990 km/h (620 mph)

Guidance
system

| INS, TERCOM/DSMAC, GPS, GLONASS, Terminal,
Accuracy| 20 m (66 ft) CEP[8]

Launch
platform

| Transporter erector launcher
Cruise-missile submarine
Transport| TEL, Horizontal launch tube (HLT)

The Babur (Urdu: بابر; Military designated: Hatf-VII, Translit: Target–7) is an all-weather, subsonic cruise missile reverse-engineered by the National Defence Complex (NDC) from the U.S.Tomahawk missile. Babur entered military service with the Pakistan Army in 2010; subsequent variants evolved into a submarine-launched missile, which saw deployment with the Pakistan Navy in 2018.[9][10][11][12][13]

According to the Pakistani military, a SLCM-variant of Babur has provided Pakistan a much desired and long-sought "credible sea-based second-strike capability, augmenting existing strategic deterrence."[14][15]

## Development history

[edit]

A Pakistan-engineered WS2500 TEL, displaying four cruise missiles at the IDEAS in 2008 in Karachi.

Development on Babur began in 1998.[16] At that time, India was establishing a missile defense program that included the acquisition of the S-300 Grumble from Russia and Patriot PAC-3 systems from the United States. [17]: 388

The missile is codenamed after Babur, the first Mughal emperor.[18][better source needed]

These developments prompted Pakistani war strategists to pursue cruise missile technology that could evade and penetrate Indian defenses in the event of the Pakistani military losing ground against a hypothetical approaching Indian Army.: 388 [17] Though Pakistan publicly claimed the system to be of indigenous design, it has subsequently admitted that the Babur's cruise missile technology came from reverse-engineered copies of U.S. BGM-109 Tomahawk missiles that Pakistani intelligence successfully recovered when these system malfunctioned during an American strike in Afghanistan in 1998.[17][12]: 248

A TEL system displaying the ground-launched cruise missile in Karachi.

In 2005, Pakistan's test of Babur reportedly surprised the United States intelligence community.[1][19] U.S.-based analysts leveled serious allegations against China of helping Pakistan, pointing out the similarities of the missile to the Chinese DH-10 and American BGM-109 Tomahawk.[20][21] In 2012, former program manager Gen. Mirza Aslam Beg denied the U.S. allegations of Chinese help, crediting Pakistani scientists as having developed the technology.[17]: 388 However in 2020, former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif (who was Prime Minister in 1998) confessed that Pakistani scientists had in fact simply reverse-engineered the Tomahawk missile to make the Babur missile, when one fell as an unexploded ordnance in Pakistan's territory during the American cruise missile attack in Afghanistan.[22][23][24][25]

## Design

[edit]

The Babur's airframe is made up of a tubular fuselage, with a pair of folded wings attached to the middle section and the empennage at the rear along with the propulsion system. Propelled by a jet engine (turbojet),[26] the Babur has a maximum speed of approximately 550 mph.[citation needed] Launched from ground-based mobile transporter erector launchers (TELs), the Babur can be armed with both conventional and nuclear warheads and has a reported range of 750 km (470 mi).[citation needed] On launch, a booster provides additional thrust to accelerate the missile away from the launch vehicle. After the launch the wings unfold, the booster rocket is jettisoned and the jet engine started.[citation needed]

Babur's guidance system reportedly uses a combination of inertial navigation systems (INS), terrain contour matching (TERCOM) and GPS satellite guidance.[citation needed] Pakistan claims the missile has a high degree of maneuverability and can utilize it's TERCOM to help the missile avoid enemy radar detection by utilizing terrain masking, improving the chances of penetrating enemy air defence systems undetected.[12][27] Future software and hardware updates could include the European Union's GALILEO and China's BeiDou Navigation Satellite System.[28]

Pakistan has been converting and engineering its traditional Agosta-90B class submarines into cruise-missile submarines.[15][29][30] However, enabling Babur being launched from a submarine was difficult for Pakistan because the Agosta-class submarines (both 70A and 90B) of Pakistan Navy do not have vertical launching system.[15] Babur is designed to be cold launched horizontally through torpedo tubes in the absence of vertical launch systems.[15] This enables the weapons to be kept in knockdown assembly form.[15] Babur-III has a range of 450 km and can be used as a second-strike capability.[31][32][33][34]

## Operational history

[edit]

On 12 August 2005, Pakistan publicly announced that it had successfully test-fired a nuclear-capable cruise missile with a range of 500 km.[35][36] The missile was launched from a land-based transporter erector launcher (TEL).[16][37]

On 22 March 2007, Pakistan test-fired an upgraded version of the Babur with an extended range of 700 km.[27]

On 6 May 2009, Pakistan conducted another test-firing but did not announce the event until 9 May 2009, citing political reasons.[38][39]

On 28 October 2011, Pakistan successfully test-fired its Babur cruise missile which has a range of 700 km. A special feature of this launch was the validation of a new multi-tube missile launch vehicle (MLV) during the test. The three-tube MLV enhances manifold the targeting and deployment options in the conventional and nuclear modes.[40]

On 6 June 2012, Pakistan conducted a successful test-fire of the Babur. A new variant of the missile, termed Babur-1B, was test fired on 14 April 2018.[41]

On 14 December 2016, Pakistan conducted a successful launch of an enhanced version of the Babur II missile. Enhancements include upgraded aerodynamics and avionics where now the missile is able to accurately hit targets without the aid of GPS, and also target sea-based targets as well land based targets.[42][43]

On 9 January 2017, Pakistan conducted a successful launch of the Babur III missile from an underwater mobile platform.[citation needed] On 29 March 2018, Pakistan reported that the missile had again been successfully tested.[44]

On 11 February 2021, Pakistan conducted successful launch of Babur-1A cruise missile having upgraded avionics and navigation systems and capability to hit the ground based and sea based surface targets with the range of 450 km.[45][46]

On 21 December 2021, Pakistan conducted a successful test of an enhanced range version of the Babur-1B that had a range of more than 900 km.[47][48]

## Variants

[edit]

* Babur-1: Initial variant developed with the range of 700 km.[citation needed]
* Babur-2: The second variant of the Babur missile series, it boasts an enhanced range of 750 and was developed to hit ground and naval targets without using a GPS.
* Babur-3: Submarine launched variant with a range of 450 km.
* Babur-1A: Enhanced avionics and navigation systems with a range of 450 km.
* Babur-1B: Enhanced range variant which can hit targets more than 900 km.[citation needed]

### Babur-III and Harbah

[edit]

On 9 January 2017, Pakistan conducted a successful launch of the Babur-III missile from an underwater mobile platform, with a targeted range of 450 km (280 mi);[citation needed] Babur-III can carry nuclear warheads and serves as Pakistan's second-strike capability for the naval leg of the nuclear triad.[31][32][33][34] On 29 March 2018, Pakistan Navy conducted another successful tested for validation and assurances.[44]

During the same time, the Pakistan Navy revealed the Harbah, which is an anti-ship missile non-nuclear version of Babur.[49] The ISPR, media wing of the Pakistan Armed Forces, reported that the missile was test fired on 3 January 2018 from PNS Himmat, an Azmat-class missile boat[further explanation needed].[50][51][52]

## See also

[edit]

Related developments

* Ra'ad (air-launched cruise missile)

Similar missiles

* Tomahawk - (United States)
* CJ-10 (missile) - (China)
* Hyunmoo-3 - (South Korea)
* NASM-MR - (India)
* Nirbhay - (India)

Related lists

* List of missiles
* List of missiles by country

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d "Babur (Hatf 7)". Missile Threat.
2. ^ Kristensen, Hans; Korda, Matt. "Pakistan nuclear weapons, 2023". Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
3. ^ "Pakistan Army conducts successful test launch of surface-to-surface Babur cruise missile". 11 February 2021.
4. ^ "Pak missiles more superior than India's: Dr Samar". www.thenews.com.pk.
5. ^ Panda, Ankit. "Pakistan Conducts Second Test of Babur-3 Nuclear-Capable Submarine-Launched Cruise Missile". thediplomat.com.
6. ^ a b "Pakistan Tests Harbah Cruise Missile". 8 January 2018.
7. ^ "Pakistan tests home-grown missile with additional range". Associated Press. 21 December 2021.
8. ^ NTI. "Design Characteristics of Pakistan's Ballistic and Cruise Missiles" (PDF). media.nti.org. Nuclear Threat Initiatives. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
9. ^ "Pakistan conducts successful test of Babur cruise missile". dawn.com. 14 December 2016. Retrieved 28 December 2017.
10. ^ "Hatf 7 "Babur" | Missile Threat". Missile Threat. Retrieved 28 December 2017.
11. ^ "Pakistan conducts successful test of Babur cruise missile". dawn.com. 14 December 2016. Retrieved 26 July 2017.
12. ^ a b c Sharif, Arshad (12 August 2005). "Pakistan test-fires its first cruise missile". dawn.com. Retrieved 26 July 2017.
13. ^ "Pakistan Navy armed with latest Submarine and Babur Cruise Missiles". Pakistan Hotline. Archived from the original on 7 April 2015. Retrieved 28 December 2017.
14. ^ Taheran, Shervin. "Pakistan Advances Sea Leg of Triad | Arms Control Association". www.armscontrol.org. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
15. ^ a b c d e Khan, Ahyousha (27 April 2018). "Babur Missile Test: Pakistan validating its Second-Strike Capability". Modern Diplomacy. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
16. ^ a b "Information missing". Paktribune. Retrieved 8 October 2015.[permanent dead link]
17. ^ a b c d Khan, Feroz (7 November 2012). Eating Grass: The Making of the Pakistani Bomb. Stanford University Press. p. 500\. ISBN 978-0-8047-8480-1. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
18. ^ "Pakistan test fires 'enhanced version' of cruise missile". www.aa.com.tr. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
19. ^ "Babur (Hatf 7)". Missile Threat. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
20. ^ Kelleher, Catherine McArdle; Dombrowski, Peter (23 September 2015). Regional Missile Defense from a Global Perspective. Stanford University Press. p. 185\. ISBN 978-0-8047-9656-9.
21. ^ Rajagopalan, Rajesh; Mishra, Atul (12 August 2015). Nuclear South Asia: Keywords and Concepts. Routledge. p. 114\. ISBN 978-1-317-32475-1.
22. ^ "Nawaz Sharif claims reverse-engineering US Tomahawk missile in 1990s". The Express Tribune. 1 October 2020. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
23. ^ Imtiaz Ahmad (1 October 2020). "Ex-Pak PM recalls 'reverse-engineering of US missile' to demonstrate his ties to military". Hindustan Times.
24. ^ Nagappa, Rajaram; Chandrashekar, S. (2007). "An Assessment of Pakistan's Babur-HATF 7 Cruise Missile" (PDF). NIAS Study -- 2007. Bangalore: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED STUDIES.
25. ^ Hewson, Robert (1 October 2005). ""Cruise Missile Technology Proliferation Takes Off"". Janes Intelligence Review.
26. ^ "Hatf 7 "Babur"". Missile Threat. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
27. ^ a b "Pakistan test fires nuclear-capable missile". 26 July 2007. Retrieved 8 October 2015.
28. ^ "Hatf 7 "Babur"". Center for Strategic and International Studies. Archived from the original on 27 October 2016. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
29. ^ Panda, Ankit. "Pakistan Tests New Sub-Launched Nuclear-Capable Cruise Missile. What Now?". The Diplomat. Retrieved 28 December 2017.
30. ^ Panda, Ankit. "The Risks of Pakistan's Sea-Based Nuclear Weapons". The Diplomat. Retrieved 28 December 2017.
31. ^ a b "Pakistan fires 'first submarine-launched nuclear-capable missile'". Reuters. 10 January 2017. Retrieved 26 July 2017.
32. ^ a b "Pakistan test-fires first submarine cruise missile Babur-3". AryNews.tv. 9 January 2017. Retrieved 26 July 2017.
33. ^ a b "Pakistan 'launches first cruise missile from submarine'". BBC News. 9 January 2017. Retrieved 26 July 2017.
34. ^ a b "Pakistan fires 'first submarine-launched nuclear-capable missile' – The Express Tribune". Tribune.com.pk. 9 January 2017. Retrieved 26 July 2017.
35. ^ "science14.htm". dawn.com. 20 August 2005. Retrieved 26 July 2017.
36. ^ Pakistan fires new cruise missile, BBC News, 11 August 2005
37. ^ "VOA News Report". Voice of America. August 2005. Archived from the original on 16 September 2008. Retrieved 26 July 2017.
38. ^ "Babar missile test-fired last Wednesday". The Nation. 9 May 2009. Archived from the original on 24 April 2013. Retrieved 8 October 2015.
39. ^ Schmitt, Eric; Sanger, David E. (29 August 2009). "U.S. Says Pakistan Made Changes to Missiles Sold for Defense". The New York Times. Retrieved 26 July 2017.
40. ^ "Pakistan successfully tests Babur Cruise missile". The News Tribe. 28 October 2011. Archived from the original on 28 December 2015. Retrieved 8 October 2015.
41. ^ "Pakistan test-fires enhanced version of Babur cruise missile | Jane's 360". www.janes.com. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
42. ^ "Improved version of Babur cruise missile tested successfully". dawn.com. 15 December 2016. Retrieved 26 July 2017.
43. ^ "Pakistan successfully test-fires cruise missile 'Babur' with range of 700km". HindustanTimes.com. 14 December 2016.
44. ^ a b "Pakistan tests its indigenously built Submarine Launched Cruise Missile Babur". The Financial Express. 30 March 2018. Retrieved 30 March 2018.
45. ^ Siddiqui, Naveed (11 February 2021). "Pakistan Army conducts successful test launch of surface-to-surface Babur cruise missile". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
46. ^ "Pakistan conducts successful launch of Babur cruise missile". The Express Tribune. 11 February 2021. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
47. ^ "Pakistan conducts successful test of enhanced version of home-grown cruise missile: ISPR". Dawn. 21 December 2021.
48. ^ "Pakistan tests home-grown missile with additional range". AP NEWS. 21 December 2021. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
49. ^ Ansari, Usman (14 October 2020). "Outgoing Pakistan Navy chief reveals details of modernization programs". defensenews.com. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
50. ^ Diplomat, Ankit Panda, The. "Pakistan Tests An Indigenously Developed Anti-Ship Cruise Missile". The Diplomat. Retrieved 13 January 2018.`{{cite news}}`: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
51. ^ "Pakistan conducts firing of cruise missile from Azmat-class boat | Jane's 360". www.janes.com. Retrieved 13 January 2018.
52. ^ "IMPRESSIVE FIRE POWER DISPLAY BY PAKISTAN NAVY IN NORTH ARABIAN SEA" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 January 2018. Retrieved 19 February 2018.

## External links

[edit]

* Jane's Information article on Hatf 7 (Babur)
* Jane's Information article on Hatf 7 (Babur)
* www.PakMilitary.net - Babur - Pakistan's Cruise Missile

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Missiles of Pakistan

Surface-to-Surface
(SSM)|

| Ballistic Missiles|

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|

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|

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|

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(TELs)|

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|

** = Includes all ship-to-ship, ship-to-sub, sub-to-ship and sub-to-sub torpedoes

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