Pakistan Missile Technology

Shaheen II

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Shaheen-II / Hatf-VI
Shaheen-II being launched
Type	Medium range ballistic missile (MRBM)
Place of origin	Pakistan
Service history
In service	9 March 2004
Used by	Pakistan
Production history
Manufacturer	National Defence Complex (NDC)
Specifications
Weight	25,000 kg (Re-entry vehicle 1,050 kg)
Length	17.5 m
Diameter	1.4 m
Warhead	Conventional high-explosive or nuclear
Engine	Two-stage solid fuel rocket motor
Operational range	2,500 km
Flight altitude	100-300km
Guidance system	Inertial navigation system GPS satellite guidance
Launch platform	Transporter erector launcher (TEL)

The Shaheen-II (Urdu: شاهين) is an medium range ballistic missile (MRBM) developed by NESCOM's Ntional Defence Complex (NDC) of Pakistan . The Shaheen missile series is named after a falcon that lives in the mountains of Pakistan . The missile is considered to be Pakistan's equivalent to the US Pershing II.

Description

The Shaheen-II is an medium range ballistic massile (MRBM), a longer ranged variant of the Shaheen-I missile. It is currently the most advanced ballistic missile in service with the Pakistani Armed Forces.It uses a two-stage solid propellant rocket motor designed to carry conventional or nuclear payloads. The missile is stated to have a CEP of 50 m, achieved through the use of a post separation booster to provide terminal course correction. It is transported and launched by a 6-axle transporter erector iauncher (TEL).According to U.S. based analysts, a satellite image of a Pakistani missile production facility taken on 5 June 2005 shows fifteen 6-axle TELs being fitted out for the Shaheen 2 missile.

Shaheen-II was successfully test fired for the first time on March 9, 2004. At that time, the National Engineering and Science Commission (NESCOM) chairman Samar Mubarakmand stated that the missile was a two-stage rocket with diameter of 1.4 m, length of 17.5 m, weight of 25 tons and a range of 2,500 km. r

Re-entry vehicle

The re-entry vehicle carried by the Shaheen-II missile has a mass of 1050 kg, which includes the mass of a nuclear warhead and a terminal guidance system.The terminal guidance system is most likely a radar correlation terminal seeker, which allows the warhead to achieve a CEP in the range of 30–50 m (similar to the Pershing II missile.

This re-entry vehicle is unlike that of the Shaheen-I in that it has four moving delta control fins at the rear and small solid/liquid-propellant side thrust motors, which are used to orientate the re-entry vehicle after the booster stage is depleted or before re-entry to improve accuracy by providing stabilization during the terminal phase. This can also be used to fly evasive manoeuvres, making it immensely problematic for existing anti-ballistic missile (AMB) defence systems to successfully intercept the missile. The Shaheen-II warhead may change its trajectory several times during re-entry and during the terminal phase, effectively preventing ABM radar systems from pre-calculating intercept points. The re-entry vehicle is also stated to utilise a GPS satellite guidance system to provide updates on its position, further improving its accuracy and reducing the CEP.

Future developments

According to Usman Siddique Sidhu, since deployment of the 2,500 km range Shaheen-II, a muitiple independently targeted re-entry vehicle (MIRV) warhead system which may be first fielded on the Shaheen-II are under development.