Ababeel (missile)

Ababeel
Type Surface-to-surface ballistic missile
Place of origin Pakistan
Service history
Used by Pakistan Army Strategic Forces Command
Production history
Produced 2017–
Specifications
Engine solid-fuel[1]
Operational
range
 2,200 kilometres (1,400 mi)[1]

Ababeel (Urdu: أبابيل‬; lit. Swallow) is a surface-to-surface medium-range ballistic missile developed by Pakistan, with a claimed maximum range of 2,200 kilometres (1,400 mi).[2] The missile can allegedly carry both conventional and nuclear warheads, and is claimed to use multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles (MIRV),[3][4] a first for Pakistan's arsenal. There has been no independent verification of Pakistan's claims with regard to this missile.[1]

The first publicly announced "test launch" was conducted on 24 January 2017, according to a statement released by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) branch of the Pakistan Armed Forces.[5][6]

The press release made reference to, "the development of the Ababeel weapon system was aimed at ensuring survivability of Pakistan's ballistic missiles in the growing regional Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) environment"[7] in reference to the Indian Prithvi and Ashwin BMD systems. Ababeel is claimed to be a development of the Shaheen-III airframe and solid-fuel motors, but with a payload fairing of enlarged diameter, "to house the MIRV carrier bus". The second stage is also lengthened.[8]

The missile's name of 'ababeel' or "swallow" may be a reference to a pre-Islamic event during the Year of the Elephant.[9] An army, described as the 'Owners of the Elephant' for their use of war elephants, sent an army to destroy the Kaaba. Unable to resist their numbers, the people asked for divine help. A flock of birds, or 'ababil', appeared and dropped stones upon the army, destroying them.[10][11] The Ababeel missile may make reference to this on two grounds: a MIRV attack would resemble a flock of falling stones; 'Owners of the Elephant' may also suggest the Indian targets of this missile.[8]

US Air Force's National Air and Space Intelligence Center estimates that as of June 2017 no missiles were operationally deployed.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "2017 Ballistic and Cruise Missile Threat". National Air and Space Intelligence Center (NASIC). Retrieved 25 September 2017.
  2. ↑ "Pakistan conducts first flight test of Ababeel surface-to-surface missile". Dawn newspaper. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
  3. ↑ "Pakistan conducts first flight test of surface-to-surface Ababeel missile". Express Tribune. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
  4. ↑ Panda, Ankit (25 January 2017). "Why Pakistan's newly flight-tested Multiple Nuclear Warhead-Capable Missile really matters". The Diplomat. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
  5. ↑ Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor [@OfficialDGISPR] (24 January 2017). "Pak successfully conducted first flight test of SSM #ABABEEL, Rg 2200 Km. #COAS congrats team and Pak Armed Forces for landmk achievement" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  6. ↑ "Pakistan successfully test fires long range missile Ababeel". Pakistan Today. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
    "Pakistan successfully conducts test of ballistic missile 'Ababeel'". The News International. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
    "Pakistan conducts successful test of surface-to-surface 'Ababeel' missile". Geo TV. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
    "Pakistan conducts successful test of long range missile Ababeel". Samaa TV. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
  7. ↑ "Ababeel" (Press release). ISPR. 24 January 2017.
  8. 1 2 "Ababeel 1". Global Security.
  9. ↑ Sūrat al-Fīl, "The Elephant" (105:1-5)
  10. ↑ Leaman, Oliver, ed. (2008). The Qur'an: an encyclopedia. Routledge. p. 129. ISBN 978-0-415-32639-1.
  11. ↑ Mir, Mustansir (2005). "Elephants, Birds of Prey, and Heaps of Pebbles: Farāhī's Interpretation of Sūrat al-Fīl". Journal of Qur'anic Studies. 7 (1): 33–47. doi:10.3366/jqs.2005.7.1.33. JSTOR 25728163.

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