The Babur-3 is the submarine-launched variant of the Babur cruise missile, providing Pakistan with a vital and credible sea-based second-strike capability. This missile is a critical part of the country’s nuclear triad. The Babur-3 has a range of 450 km and is designed to be fired from a submerged submarine’s standard torpedo tubes. The technical challenge of launching a missile from underwater was a significant feat for Pakistan’s scientists. The missile is equipped with an underwater launch mechanism that ensures it can transition from the submerged environment to air flight. It uses a turbofan engine and employs the same advanced guidance systems as its land-based counterparts, including INS, TERCOM, and DSMAC, to navigate to its target with high precision. The missile also features a sea-skimming flight profile to evade detection by enemy naval and coastal radar. The Babur-3 is capable of carrying a nuclear or conventional warhead, making it a powerful and stealthy deterrent. Its existence ensures that even if a first strike were to target Pakistan’s land-based nuclear assets, the country would retain the ability to retaliate from an undetectable underwater platform, thereby strengthening strategic stability.
- Type: Submarine-Launched Cruise Missile (SLCM)
- Propulsion: Turbofan engine with an underwater propulsion system
- Range: Up to 450 km
- Payload: Conventional or nuclear warhead
- Guidance: INS, TERCOM, and DSMAC
- Launch Platform: Submerged submarines’ torpedo tubes
- Key Feature: Provides a sea-based second-strike capability
