Hatf-VIII (Ra'ad)
Encyclopedia
The Ra'ad (Thunder) is an air-launched cruise missile (ALCM)
developed by Pakistan
and operational with the Pakistan Air Force (PAF)
. Though initially launched from a PAF Dassault Mirage III ROSE
combat aircraft during testing, the missile is planned to be integrated with and launched from other PAF platforms such as the JF-17 combat aircraft. The Ra'ad's current range is stated to be 350 km.
Ra'ad is designed to attack fixed enemy installations (such as radar posts, command nodes and stationary surface to air missile launchers
) at stand-off range, keeping the launching aircraft away from enemy air defence systems. The accuracy of the missile is reported to be comparable to Pakistan's Babur cruise missile
, which has "pinpoint accuracy" according to official sources.
. Muhammad took this sword as booty from the Banu Qaynuqa
, was one of the three main Jewish tribes living in the 7th century
of Medina
, now in Saudi Arabia
. In 624, they were expelled by Muhammad for allegedly breaking the treaty known as the Constitution of Medina
.
It is said that King David took his sword “al-Battar” from Goliath as booty when he defeated him, but he was less than 20 years old. God gave King David the ability to work with iron, to make armor and weapons and instruments of war, and he made for himself a sword. It was thus that the Hatf sword came about, resembling the al-Battar but larger than it. He used this sword and it was passed onto the tribe of Levites who kept the weapons of the Israelites until it passed into the hands of Muhammad.
a "strategic standoff capability on land and at sea," indicating that Ra'ad may be launched at sea-based targets such as ships, as well as land-based targets.
On 8 May 2008, Ra'ad was tested for the second time, this time fired from a Dassault Mirage III ROSE fighter of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF)
.
A third successful test of Ra'ad (ALCM) was carried out on 29 April 2011, this time again fired from a Dassault Mirage fighter of Pakistan Air force.
Related developments
Similar missiles
Related lists
Cruise missile
A cruise missile is a guided missile that carries an explosive payload and is propelled, usually by a jet engine, towards a land-based or sea-based target. Cruise missiles are designed to deliver a large warhead over long distances with high accuracy...
developed by Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
and operational with the Pakistan Air Force (PAF)
Pakistan Air Force
The Pakistan Air Force is the leading air arm of the Pakistan Armed Forces and is primarily tasked with the aerial defence of Pakistan with a secondary role of providing air support to the Pakistan Army and the Pakistan Navy. The PAF also has a tertiary role of providing strategic air transport...
. Though initially launched from a PAF Dassault Mirage III ROSE
Dassault Mirage III
The Mirage III is a supersonic fighter aircraft designed by Dassault Aviation during the late 1950s, and manufactured both in France and a number of other countries. It was a successful fighter aircraft, being sold to many air forces around the world and remaining in production for over a decade...
combat aircraft during testing, the missile is planned to be integrated with and launched from other PAF platforms such as the JF-17 combat aircraft. The Ra'ad's current range is stated to be 350 km.
Ra'ad is designed to attack fixed enemy installations (such as radar posts, command nodes and stationary surface to air missile launchers
Surface-to-air missile
A surface-to-air missile or ground-to-air missile is a missile designed to be launched from the ground to destroy aircraft or other missiles...
) at stand-off range, keeping the launching aircraft away from enemy air defence systems. The accuracy of the missile is reported to be comparable to Pakistan's Babur cruise missile
Babur missile
Babur , also designated Hatf VII, is the first land attack cruise missile to be developed by Pakistan....
, which has "pinpoint accuracy" according to official sources.
Origin
Hatf or more commonly known as Ra'ad is the name of one of the sword of the Islamic Prophet MuhammadMuhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
. Muhammad took this sword as booty from the Banu Qaynuqa
Banu Qaynuqa
The Banu Qaynuqa was one of the three main Jewish tribes living in the 7th century of Medina, now in Saudi Arabia...
, was one of the three main Jewish tribes living in the 7th century
Arabian tribes that interacted with Muhammad
-Introduction:The most prominent of such Arabian tribes were the Banu Quraish which were in turn divided into several sub-clans. The Qur'aish sub-clan of Banu Hashim was the clan of Muhammad, while their sister sub-clan, the Banu Abd-Shams became known as his most staunch enemies...
of Medina
Medina
Medina , or ; also transliterated as Madinah, or madinat al-nabi "the city of the prophet") is a city in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia, and serves as the capital of the Al Madinah Province. It is the second holiest city in Islam, and the burial place of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad, and...
, now in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
. In 624, they were expelled by Muhammad for allegedly breaking the treaty known as the Constitution of Medina
Constitution of Medina
The Constitution of Medina , also known as the Charter of Medina, was drafted by the Islamic prophet Muhammad. It constituted a formal agreement between Muhammad and all of the significant tribes and families of Yathrib , including Muslims, Jews, Christians and pagans. This constitution formed the...
.
It is said that King David took his sword “al-Battar” from Goliath as booty when he defeated him, but he was less than 20 years old. God gave King David the ability to work with iron, to make armor and weapons and instruments of war, and he made for himself a sword. It was thus that the Hatf sword came about, resembling the al-Battar but larger than it. He used this sword and it was passed onto the tribe of Levites who kept the weapons of the Israelites until it passed into the hands of Muhammad.
Operational history
Ra'ad was tested for the first time on 25 August 2007. An official press-release by the military at the time of the test declared that the missile gave Pakistan Air ForcePakistan Air Force
The Pakistan Air Force is the leading air arm of the Pakistan Armed Forces and is primarily tasked with the aerial defence of Pakistan with a secondary role of providing air support to the Pakistan Army and the Pakistan Navy. The PAF also has a tertiary role of providing strategic air transport...
a "strategic standoff capability on land and at sea," indicating that Ra'ad may be launched at sea-based targets such as ships, as well as land-based targets.
On 8 May 2008, Ra'ad was tested for the second time, this time fired from a Dassault Mirage III ROSE fighter of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF)
Pakistan Air Force
The Pakistan Air Force is the leading air arm of the Pakistan Armed Forces and is primarily tasked with the aerial defence of Pakistan with a secondary role of providing air support to the Pakistan Army and the Pakistan Navy. The PAF also has a tertiary role of providing strategic air transport...
.
A third successful test of Ra'ad (ALCM) was carried out on 29 April 2011, this time again fired from a Dassault Mirage fighter of Pakistan Air force.
See also
- Cruise missileCruise missileA cruise missile is a guided missile that carries an explosive payload and is propelled, usually by a jet engine, towards a land-based or sea-based target. Cruise missiles are designed to deliver a large warhead over long distances with high accuracy...
Related developments
- Ra'ad ALCM (Pakistan)
Similar missiles
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(US) - DH-10DH-10The DongHai 10 is a cruise missile developed in the People's Republic of China by the Third Academy by CASIC.According to Janes, the DH-10 is a second-generation land-attack cruise missile , integrated inertial navigation system, GPS, terrain contour mapping system, and digital scene-matching...
(China) - Hyunmoo IIIHyunmoo IIIHyunmoo-3 is a new cruise missile that is to be fielded with the military of Republic of Korea. It is designed by Agency for Defense Development...
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(RUS)
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