390Views 36Comments
The Pakistan Navy inducts a new anti-ship missile – “Zarb”
10 April 2016
By Bilal Khan
The Pakistan Navy has recently test-fired a shore-based anti-ship missile (AShM) named “Zarb.” Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) did not offer any specific information, such as range, speed, or payload weight.
Pakistan had issued a navigational warning notice several days in advance of the test. The maximum range allotted for the test was set at 300km, which was compliant with the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), an international legal framework that regulates commercial missile and drone sales on the global arms market.
The Zarb was inducted to enhance Pakistan’s area denial capabilities by equipping its coastal areas with AShM-tipped launch batteries, which in turn could fire AShMs at intruding surface ships up to a maximum range of 300km.
Upon concluding the test, the Navy announced that it had formally inducted the Zarb AShM. With no prior tests registered over the Arabian Sea, and the fact that it is MTCR-compliant, it is likely that the Zarb is an off-the-shelf purchase.
That said, the specific characteristics of the Zarb AShM are unknown. Given the fact that it was tested from a coastal battery, it is plausible to suggest that the Zarb is basically the C-602.
Produced by China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC), the C-602 is a heavy AShM capable of delivering a 300kg warhead. A heavier variant (with a 480kg warhead) is also available in the form of the CM-602G.
The idea of Pakistan acquiring the C-602 is not a surprise, but the use of a local name (i.e. Zarb) suggests that the missile is being produced domestically.
Given the added cost of such a technology transfer (i.e. to produce the missile domestically), would it not make more sense for Pakistan to acquire the C-802 instead? At this time, the C-602 can only be used from Pakistan’s coasts, there are no surface warships or aircraft capable of carrying such a heavy munition.
On the other hand, the C-802 is in use with the Pakistan Navy’s Zulfiqar-class (F-22P) frigates, Azmat-class fast attack crafts (FAC), and even the Pakistan Air Force’s (PAF) JF-17s. Moreover, there is nothing to stop the C-802 from being launched from land either.
The comparatively widespread adoption of the C-802 within the Pakistan Armed Forces makes it a more suitable candidate for local production than the C-602. In any case, this is speculation on our part, it still has not been confirmed whether the Zarb is being locally produced (under license or otherwise).
36 Comments
by MT
Another cheeni maal in the kitty. No country can make anti ship missile until it masters all kinds of Sam,Sam,bvraam & ballistic missile technologies along with Ins & seeker technologies
by jigsaww
If this is the C-602, then it is indeed the full-range version of 400 km, which explains local production to bypass MTCR restrictions. At this time, Pakistan has deployed at least three new anti-shipping missile systems (C-802, CM-400AKG, and C-602) which suggests that that the Navy is working on a (cost-effective) strategy to amass a considerable number of ship and carrier killer missiles of different capabilities and categories.
The only apparent reason for choosing C-602 over C-802 seems to be its higher payload capability in more or less same range zone, giving it a bigger punch.
A submarine launched test of ER-Babur also seems imminent.
by Ashi Sidhu
china is not a member of mtcr but it complies with it to get a entry but india is currently in pole position to get entry after which india can extend brahmos range from 300 km to 800 km(as russia is in mtcr) and buy us predator drones
pakistan will never get entry due nuclear profileration woes whereas china will be vetoed by india if india gets entry but it could be good for pakistan as it will be get access to weapons of greater than 300 km from china
its a really tricky thing to get around and frustating also
by Ashi Sidhu
i dont think china will give missile greater than 300 km as its credentials to get entry into mtcr could get hit due to that
by jigsaww
True, but MTCR applies only to direct exports/off the shelf buys. It cannot put caps on local productions which is one way of bypassing MTCR. Pakistan has also bought C-802 under MTCR. This is again, a local production and being technically domestic, is under no restriction to use only GPS or adhere to specific range or payload.
It does not make sense for Pakistan navy to use a C-802 with a local name, when PAF and navy are already using it. This is most possibly a heavier full range version of C-602.
by MT
China haven’t produced torpdo launched SLCM of range~>220 km
With Pak internal r&d it’s hard to make Babur SLCM given specific impulse of Pak solid rocket booster is of 70era tech borrowed from long March 1 FG 36 engine
by Ashi Sidhu
probably c 802 of pakistan is an export variant of limited 300 km range as
india also owns brahmos project with 50.5% with russia and contributes 40% indigenous content still is hit by 300 km barrier which would have been 800 km as it is a russian oniks missile variant
the only way to skip is total technology absortion and application in some indigenous missile without any import content which pakistan cannot do
by MT
Pak launched cheeni missile & inducted it on the very 1st launch.
We know how cheen sold u M11,M18 to nescom & Chinese consultant worked on shaheen2 & shaheen3 for many years
by jigsaww
C-802 is an export variant. PAF and PN are using it under that name.
Pakistan has a more-than established missile industry to be able to modify and deploy a domestic version.
At this moment, it is but anyone’s guess on what is the range, etc, hence not really worth arguing.
by jigsaww
Better than testing a dud dozen times, still inducting it at people’s expense, and later abandoning it like a B-child.
I refer to Akash in case you didn’t figure that out.
Fresh from today:
“According to reports the army had recently declared the Akash missile a dud and floated a global tender to procure an alternative weapon system to protect the country from aerial threats. Army’s move embarrassed the DRDO at a time when the country was claiming the Akash system as the first initiative of the much hyped ‘Make-in-India’ programme.”
by MT
Another spurious report by arms brokers.
Akash is in Mrsam cateogry & India army,iaf haven’t backtracked from orders.
Spyder is Qrsam which army needs for cold start doctorine for forward cores
by jigsaww
Yeah yeah. Lol.
by MT
Don’t compare orange with apples
Spyder and akash are to be used for diff roles
Read my post again
by jigsaww
What is there to read in your post?
You are reproducing what i taught you 2 days ago.
by MT
U reproduced what I mentioned 10days ago on our 1st series of discussion about akash once I explained all flaws and strength in detailed.
Go through my post from March end
by Ashi Sidhu
no surprise akash is inferior to spyder missile
spyder missile comes israel a world leader when it comes intercepting missiles at short ranges
by jigsaww
acha jee? Funny i don’t remember a word.
Apparently not even own hindustani military reports are able to convince ultra egod hindustanis civilians. I think that is why hindustani military gets ended up with forced upon duds.
Ah. Hardly surprising.
by jigsaww
That is true and i believe with spyder induction, we can all expect new variants of Nasr to be inducted as well. The hindustani military does want QR SAMs for battlefield theatre and spyder seems apparent choice. It will a potent addition.
by MT
google : quwa akash & u ll find them.
I had said day 1 that spyder and akash are designed for different roles.i also said that spyder to orders wer issued 4 yrs ago.
anyone with basic knowledge on indian sam procurement realised day 1 that the articles are being planted by import lobby as we know india is buying 30 squadrons of akash1.0 and we know all flaws and limitations of akash.
only a fool will compare akash1.0 80 era tech with 5th gen israeli spyder which also cost 4-5 times more.
all these info were mentioned by me in old discussion
by jigsaww
Don’t flatter yourself.
I don’t read or google garbage. Thank you.
by SP
Seems like Indian economy got a boost from Iran oil sanctions as it only paid for half its import and that too in Indian rupees which the state bank just printed, now it has to start paying hard cash and in a currency other than Indian rupee, plus it has to clear its arrears.
by Ashi Sidhu
dont take free oil for slavery from the saudis though…
by MT
Indian forex reserves have gained 4 bill$ in last 2 weeks which makes Indian currency very powerful
=>India’s foreign exchange reserves swelled to a record high of $360 billion for the week ended April 1, largely on account of the RBI’s dollar purchases to rein in the rupee’s strength as foreign funds poured into Indian financial markets, analysts said.
Foreign investors added Indian debt and equities worth $3.7 billion in March, the highest in a year, after being net sellers in the previous two months. For the week, FX reserves were up $4 billion, data from the Reserve Bank of India showed.
by SP
Foreign funds are buying up your country and giving you an illusion of growth and then trick you into sending all the money back to them by buying their armaments. Net result the west gets the money and also owns India.
by MT
growth is driven by internal consumption.
indian stock market had market caps of 1.5
trillion $ with foreign ownership as less than 20%
by Vap
That cheeni maal is giving a due butthurt where it was intended. May the burnol be with you…
by MT
cheeni railway have proven their capabilities in pak.
lets hope that cheeni missile does nt deceive atmi kuwat
by Mustafa O
Cheeni missle are giving headaches to USA, indians for that matter dont even figure out any where closer. Go beg ur russian masters for more brahmos
by Mustafa O
Let this modi toady fart all the way. He never contributes any thing conclusive. Just trolling. Too much obsessed with pak military superiority
by SP
So the equivalent of half your defence budget is repatriated to foreigners each year.
by MT
its merely 3.2 bill $ in 2015-16
check SIPRI numbers on indian def import
by SP
If foreigners own $300 billion of your stock market then their profit entitlement would be around half of your defence budget, which would be shifted abroad at some stage.
by MT
Some sell while others buy
It’s norm with any stock exchange. Profit return is 10%yearly
West investing more in Indian debt given stock return is negative over 12months as compared to 8% profit from debt bonds
by SP
The West with QE i,e paper money printed out of thin air with no real worth is buying real assets like your companies. A form of slavery in the making or a scam against India.
by MT
debt is money and money is debt.
indian companies raising more debt as compared to equity.
20 !% is nt much
they held more 25%《shares in 2010.
They ll cash out at lower prices &, indian govt owned LIC: life insurance corporation ll end up owning them.
from an avg estimate LIC owns 500bill $ worth shares which is more than combined western investors which makes it the richest company in india.
Two – three indian companies can buy entire pakistani stock exchange. I don’t include LIC in that list whose assets are 2 times size of pak gdp
by Hindukush
Dumass you can deliver weapons without missiles an SUV can do that