All about Pakistan's Shaheen III Missile

Why in News?

Pakistan has recently tested the Shaheen III missile. It was test-fired from Rakhi area of Dera Ghazi Khan. Know all the details about the missile below:

About:

1. Shaheen III missile is a nuclear-capable surface-to-surface ballistic missile
2. It can strike targets upto 2750 km
3. The launch revalidated the design and technical parameters of the weapon system 
4. The launch comes after China asked India to view the Eagle IX military exercise taking place between Pakistan and China.
5. Shaheen program is based on the solid-fuel system in a contrast to the Ghauri program.
6. It is the longest-range missile to be launched by Pakistan's military  

Controversy on the Launch

The Baloch Republican Party, which happens to be one of the most influential political parties in the Balochistan, took to Twitter to inform about the Pakistan Army’s most recent test of the Shaheen-III missile. They said it was fired from Rakhi area of Dera Ghazi Khan but landed at the civil populated area of Dera Bugti’s Matt region.

The Baloch Republican Party also said that the security forces had evacuated all their posts in the area last night, but the missile was detonated in the presence of civilians in the area. The blast destroyed many houses and injured several people.

Pakistani army turned Balochistan into a laboratory.
Army has tested Shaheen 3 missile which was fired from Dera Ghazi Khan & landed on civilian areas of Matt, Dera Bugti. The missile was tested in the presence of civilians, destroying dozens of homes & injuring several

— Sher Mohammad Bugti (@SherM_BRP) January 20, 2021

As per social media reports, there were several injuries in the testing of Shaheen 3. The injured were not yet taken to hospital for treatment as per Bugti.

Security forces had evacuated all their posts in the area last night, but the missile was detonated in the presence of civilians in the area. The blast completely destroyed many houses and injured several people.

— BRPبلوچ رپبلکن پارٹی (@BRP_MediaCell) January 20, 2021

History of Shaheen III

The development of Shaheen III was initiated secretly in the early 2000s after India's Agni-III was test-fired. Shaheen was tested in 2015 successfully with 2750 km range. It could enable the missile to reach all corners of India and also was informed to reach deep into some parts of North Africa. 

As per a former Director-General of Pakistan's Strategic Plans Division, the missile is “designed to reach Indian islands so that India cannot use them as strategic bases to establish a second-strike capability.”

What is a Ballistic Missile?

 Ballistic missiles are usually powered through rockets at first and then they follow an unpowered, free-falling trajectory that leads them to their targets.

They are classified by the maximum distance that they can travel, which is a function of how powerful the missile’s engines (rockets) are and the weight of the missile’s payload. Ballistic missiles are classified into short-range, medium-range, and long-range rocket-propelled vehicles that can deliver nuclear or conventional weapons

Indian Ballistic Missiles

1. Shaurya missile,
2. Prithvi missile,
3. Agni missile,
4. Dhanush, etc.

All about Akash Missile India recently built

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