Pakistan conducts second test of the Shaheen-II long range missile
21 Apr 2008
Islamabad: Pakistan test-fired the 2,000 km-range, Shaheen-II ballistic missile for the second time in three days on Monday. The long-range missile can carry both nuclear and conventional warheads.
A statement by the Pakistani military said that the test was carried out by the army's Strategic Forces Command for the first time. All previous launches of the missile have been conducted by defence scientists and engineers.
The location of the launch remained undisclosed.
The statement said the Pakistan Navy chief, Admiral Muhammad Afzal Tahir, witnessed Monday's launch along with senior military officials.
The Shaheen-II, a copy of the Chinese M-18 missile, is a two-stage solid fuel missile that was first tested by Pakistan in 2004. The Chinese version was showcased in 1987.
The statement said that the last launch of the missile on Saturday was "part of the process of validation and technical improvements to consolidate and verify various land-based strategic missile systems."
Missile tests conducted by both Pakistan and neighbour India frequently tend to part of a tit-for tat response to each other's tests. India's Defence Research & Development Organisation had confirmed in January that it intended to test the 3,500 km long range nuclear capable Agni-III ballistic missile for the third time sometime towards the end of April this year.
It is likely that tests of the Shaheen-II may be in anticipation of a likely test of the Agni-III.
The Agni-III has the capability to strike targets deep into China, as well as a large swathe of the Middle-East, Central Asia and South-east Asia.
