It seems that Pakistan is preparing to offer its new ‘Taimoor’ air-launched cruise missile (ALCM) for export.
https://twitter.com/OSPSF/status/1627308973920763905
According to promotional material reportedly released by Global Industrial and Defence Solutions (GIDS), the sales and marketing arm of Pakistan’s state-owned defence producers, the Taimoor ALCM provides a range of 1,200 km. It has a total mass of less than 1,200 kg.
Pakistan revealed the Taimoor ALCM at the 2022 International Defence Exhibition and Seminar (IDEAS) as both an ALCM and, reportedly, as a next-generation anti-ship cruising missile (ASCM).
Background: GIDS Taimoor ALCM
With the Taimoor ALCM, GIDS is now marketing two cruise missiles to the world market. The other cruise missile in GIDS’ catalog is the Harbah-NG ASCM. Both are subsonic cruising missile designs.
The Harbah-NG is deployable from surface warships and land-based vehicles. It would not be surprising if the Taimoor and Harbah-NG are closely related, especially in terms of their critical inputs, like propulsion, guidance systems and, potentially, terminal-stage seekers.
According to GIDS, the Harbah-NG leverages on a Digital Scene-Mapping Area Correlator (DSMAC) system alongside a terminal-stage seeker. The terminal-stage seeker can be an imaging infrared (IIR) or an active-radar homing (ARH) system. The Taimoor could be using the same DSMAC and IIR combination.
Weighing up to 1,200 kg, the Taimoor is comparable in size to the MBDA SCALP and KEPD-350. By capping the range at 290 km, Pakistan is staying under the limits of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR).
This was certainly an intentional move as Pakistan has an ALCM with a range of 600 km, i.e., the Ra’ad-2.
Being short-ranged and, potentially, lower in cost than the Ra’ad-2, the Taimoor could potentially also fill out a spot in the Pakistan Air Force’s (PAF) inventory. The Ra’ad-series had traditionally been showcased as a ‘strategic’ weapon (i.e., for nuclear warheads). The Taimoor may be the conventional option.
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