Why Is Pakistan’s Latest Nuclear Missile Test Different?
By Dr Shireen M. Mazari
Islamabad, Pakistan
Pakistan’s latest test of its medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM) is a welcome development. The significance of this test is not in the Ghauri missile per se but in the working of the now fully automated Strategic Command and Control Support System (SCCSS).
This included not just the test firing of the liquid fuelled MRBM Hatf V (Ghauri) — now already a part of the Strategic Missile Force of Pakistan Army with a range of up to 1300 kilometers — but also testing the SCCSS.
It was the testing of the latter that was the central purpose of this exercise last week.
The fully automated SCCSS enables robust Command and Control capability of all strategic assets. The National Command leadership is now able to monitor round-the-clock situational awareness in a digitized network-centric environment.
In other words, monitoring of the strategic assets can be done from the National Command and Control Center through the automated control support systems.
The successful test of the Ghauri – with the ability to carry nuclear warheads – via the linkage with SCCSS has strengthened the security and robustness of the strategic nuclear assets and also enabled the national leadership to be constantly in the strategic loop 24/7. This centralized control enhances safety and security of the strategic assets by ensuring centralized leadership control at all times.
The most significant part of the testing of the SCCSS through the launch of the Ghauri series missile as part of the field training exercise of the Army Strategic Force Command was proving the viability of the increasingly indigenous structured architecture of Pakistan’s nuclear command and control.
Our civilian leadership has now been totally brought into the strategic nuclear command and control structures. It is up to them to understand these structures and the role they must play to sustain and strengthen them. It is a grave responsibility and they must educate themselves wisely in bearing it responsibly.
(Dr Mazari, former Director-General of Islamabad Institute of Policy Studies, is the CEO of Strategic Technology Resources , a private research company based in Islamabad)
Pakistan today (Nov 28) successfully conducted the training launch of Medium Range Ballistic Missile Hatf V (Ghauri). The launch was conducted by a Strategic Missile Group of the Army Strategic Force Command on the culmination of a field training exercise that was aimed at testing the operational readiness of the Army Strategic Force Command. Ghauri ballistic missile is a liquid fuel missile which can carry both conventional and nuclear warheads over a distance of 1300 km.
The test monitoring of the launch was conducted at the National Command Centre through the medium of National Command Authority’s fully automated Strategic Command and Control Support System (SCCSS). It may be recalled that the SCCSS enables robust Command and Control capability of all strategic assets with round the clock situational awareness in a digitized network centric environment to decision makers at the National Command Centre (NCC). The test consolidates and strengthens Pakistan’s deterrence capability, and national security.
The President and Prime Minister congratulated all ranks of the Army Strategic Force Command on the excellent standard achieved during training which was reflected in the proficient handling of the weapon system in the field and the accuracy of the training launch.
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