Hatf-2 / Shadoz / Abdali

The Abdali-I was named after Ahmad Shah Abdali, the founder of modern day Afghanistan. The Hatf-2 is a two-stage solid-propellant missile with a range of 280 km carrying a 500 kg payload, or - 450 km carrying a 300 kg payload. The original Hatf-2 design was based on a stack of two Hatf-1 stages stacked.

These missiles were believed to be product of French Eridan sounding rocket technology acquired by Pakistan and developed with Chinese assistance. Eridan was a two-stage rocket able to send a 250 kg payload to more than 300 km altitude, or a 130 kg payload to more than 425 km altitude. A total of 17 Eridan rockets were launched by France between 1968 and 1979. This sounding rocket had a liftoff mass of 2,127 kg, and was just shy of 10 meters long.

It was believed that the Haft II program had been halted due to technical problems. Reports of a missile program known as Shadoz (King Hawk) were believed to refer to the Hatf 2 project. The Pakistani's allegedly shelved this system because of problems with guidance and control systems. Another consideration may have been the purchase from China of the M-11 missiles with similar capabilities.

Pakistan's SUPARCO (Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission) developed a space launch vehicle to place a future Pakistani satellite into low earth orbit. In January 1989, Delhi domestic radio reported that a Pakistani newspaper, Dawn, had announced a successful launch of an "indigenous multistage rocket into deep space." The rocket was said to have reached an altitude of more than 640 km.(1) Two months later, Agence France Press reported that Pakistan had manufactured a rocket booster with a range of 640 km that was to be tested in Autumn of 1989; however, no such test is believed to have occurred.(2) According to a detailed report in a trade weekly publication, State Department officials said that the January 1989 test was the test of the Hatf-1 and Hatf-2, which were announced in February 1989. The report said that the Hatf-2 is the first stage of a planned multistage rocket to have a maximum range of 600 km.(3) In a possible reference to the same rockets, in May 1990, SUPARCO announced that the "test firing of two versions of scientific rockets ha[d] been successfully carried out."(4)

A New Beginning

The original Abdali program was canceled in 1994, following the purchase of the M-11 missiles from the People's Republic of China. A new design for the Abdali-I was started in 1995, though it was not directly derived from the M-11, which has a range of 300 km. Hatf II - with a range of 180 km - can carry nuclear as well as conventional warheads with high accuracy.

On 11 March 2011 Pakistan successfully test fired its short range Surface to Surface (STS) Ballistic Missile Hataf-2 (Abdali). The missile test was conducted as part of the process of validation and technical improvements in the Land Based Ballistic Missile Systems. Hataf-2 (Abdali) with a range of 180 Kms can carry nuclear as well as conventional war heads with high accuracy.

The test was witnessed by Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) General Khalid Shameem Wynne, Director General Strategic Plans Division, Lieutenant General (Retd) Khalid Ahmed Kidwai, Commander Army Strategic Force Command Lieutenant General Jamil Haider, Chairman SUPARCO Major General Ahmed Bilal, Senior officers from the Armed Forces and Scientists and Engineers of Strategic Organizations.

On this occasion the CJCSC reiterated that the test will go a long way in consolidating Pakistan's Strategic deterrence capability and further strengthening national security. He said that in the hierarchy of military operations, the Abdalli weapons system now provides Pakistan with an operational level capability, additional to the strategic level capability, which Pakistan already possess because of its medium range and long range Ballistic missile systems. He further added that Pakistan's resolve and commitment to continue its strategic progress will remain paramount. The successful test was warmly appreciated by the President and Prime Minister of Pakistan who congratulated the Scientists and Engineers on their outstanding successes.

Pakistan on 15 February 2013y conducted a test fire of the short range surface to surface ballistic missile, Hatf-II (Abdali), an Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) press release stated.

The test comes a few days after the missile test of Hatf-IX (NASR).

According to the ISPR, the weapon system with its varied manoeuvrability options provides an operational level capability to Pakistan’s Strategic Forces.

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf congratulated the scientists and engineers involved in the project. The test was witnessed by Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Khalid Shameem Wynne, Director General Strategic Plans Division Lieutenant General (retd) Khalid Ahmed Kidwai, Commander Army Strategic forces Command, Lieutenant General Tariq Nadeem Gilani, senior officers from the strategic forces and scientists and engineers of strategic organizations.

References

• 1. Delhi domestic service, 29 Jan 89, FBIS-NES 30 Jan 89, p. 77.
• 2. AFP, 21 Mar 89, FBIS-NES 22 Mar 89, p. 69; JANG, 21 Mar 89, JPRS-TAC 12 Apr 89, p. 21.
• 3. "A lot of bravado: Pakistan asks U.S. help in developing communications satellite," Satellite Week, Vol. 11, No. 44, 6 Nov 89, p. 2.
• 4. Islamabad domestic service, 21 May 90, FBIS-NES 23 May 90, p. 50.
• From Belier to Eridan by Jean-Jacques Serra
  
  
• Pakistan tests fire ballistic missiles IRNA 19 Feb 2006
• Pakistan Test Fires Nuclear-Capable Missile RFE/RL 19 Feb 2006