Has Pakistan ‘faked’ the claim that it successfully test-fired a Submarine Launched Cruise Missile (SLCM), the Babur-3? Yes, if an Indian defence expert is to be believed. According to ‘Raj’, who claims to be a satellite imagery expert, Pakistan has released a ‘fake’ clip of the supposed test-launch. In a series of tweets, the expert questions the authenticity of the video. Sample these:

In an interview to India Today, Colonel (retired) Vinayak Bhat who is an imagery expert said that the launch video that has been released by Pakistan seems to be computer generated. According to Bhat, the fact that the missile changes colour from white to orange is also questionable.

 

The missile, Babur-3, with a range of 450 kilometers was fired from an underwater, mobile platform and hit its target with precise accuracy, the Inter Services Public Relations, the media wing of the Pakistani military said in a statement. Babur-3 is a sea-based variant of Ground Launched Cruise Missile (GLCM) Babur-2, which was successfully tested earlier in December, last year.

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The Babur-3 SLCM incorporates state-of-the-art technologies including underwater controlled propulsion and advanced guidance and navigation features, duly augmented by Global Navigation, Terrain and Scene Matching Systems. The missile features terrain hugging and sea skimming flight capabilities to evade hostile radars and air defenses, in addition to certain stealth technologies, in an emerging regional Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) environment, the release said.

Babur-3 SLCM in land-attack mode, is capable of delivering various types of payloads and will provide Pakistan with a “credible second strike capability, augmenting deterrence,” the statement said.

(With inputs from Agencies)