According to Inter-Service Public Relations (ISPR), “The test flight was aimed at re-validating various design, technical parameters and performance evaluation of different sub-systems of the weapon system.”
Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Sahir Shamshad Mirza and senior officers from the Strategic Plans Division and Strategic Forces Command attended the test.
Ababeel is a medium-range surface-to-surface ballistic missile with a maximum range of 2,200 km and has precision targeting capabilities.
As for specifications, Ababeel measures 21.5 m long 170 cm in diameter, and is designed to carry conventional and nuclear warheads.
This ballistic missile can carry a total warhead payload of 1,500 kg, three standard warheads of 500 kilograms each, five warheads of 300 kg each, or a maximum of eight warheads of 185 kilograms each.
The Ababeel missile system was developed by Khan Research Laboratories (KRL), which had previously created the liquid-fuel Ghauri missile system.
Pakistan designed the missile to counter India’s Ballistic Missile Defence system, potentially even being used in a retaliatory strike to neutralise India’s nuclear arsenal before it can be used.
Although widely believed to be a liquid-fuel missile, some sources suggest that the Ababeel may be a modification of the Shaheen-III missile body with a solid-fuel motor.
The first test launch of the Ababeel missile system was carried out on January 24 2017.
