The Pakistani Navy tested the P-282 SMASH ship-launched ballistic missile from a Zulfiqar-class frigate, achieving a direct hit on a target ship at sea.
The Pakistan Navy successfully tested its P-282 SMASH shipborne Anti-Ship Ballistic Missile (ASBM) on a target ship. The missile launched from a Zulfiqar-class frigate (Chinese-built Type 053H3) successfully hit the target ship at sea.
The test on 25 November brought together the Chief of the Naval Staff with senior scientists and engineers to witness the first public demonstration of an ASBM launch from a Pakistan Navy surface vessel. The system operates as part of a larger initiative to develop domestic anti-surface warfare capabilities because of changing naval strategies in the region.
P-282 SMASH’s first public firing test involved a strike on a land target, in which the target was hit with high accuracy. P-282 SMASH is a rather unique approach to shipborne anti-ship missiles due to its nature as a ballistic missile. While it is larger than a generic anti-ship cruise missile like RGM-84 Harpoon, it still conforms to most frigate-sized ships like one. ASBMs offer high speed and more potential for damage on ships due to landing almost vertically whereas an anti-ship cruise missile hits from side in most cases. However, maintaining a reliable guidance requires constant feed of the target location during the midcourse phase.
The Navy announced that indigenous design and manufacturing will continue to guide its modernization plan after achieving this milestone through a series of precision-strike development progressions during the past years. The officials stated that the test marked a crucial development for deterrence enhancement and fleet-level strike capability expansion but they did not disclose any information about future production or deployment schedules.
