SMASH SLBM Testing - Nov 2025

[Eşbah]

This.

I would rather spend a few million on constructing, testing, and launching a missile for deterrence than shelling out billions later on damages and war expenses because my adversary perceived me as weak.

Contrary to popular belief, conventional deterrence is key in South Asia.

Excellent job, Pakistan.

 

[Cipher212]

May be off topic, but one luxury IAF has with Su-30MKI and now Rafales is that they have a good selection of Russian and French A2G weapons to shoot and scoot with.

I know JF-17s can already carry Ra'ad and CM-400 but thats about it.

 

[Ak01]

I do wonder how the PN plans to deploy SMASH onboard ships though.

at 2.6 tons a missile thats no joke... Either the PN intends on giving up depth and carrying 1/2 missiles, or the decks are alot stronger than i initially thought (im guessing its the former)

The F22P was designed to carry c802's, a 700kg missile. Heck, even our 054A's wont carry a full missile loadout and im pretty sure thats simply because the deck cant support it.

How the PN intends to fit 10 tons of missile on an area that was designed to fit lighter ashm's is beyond me.

On top of that, every navy that deployed AShBM's onboard ships walked that decision back, i sincerely hope PN does too, as wide area AAW capabilities improve, our ships need longer, smarter sticks, deploy these on subs and shore though, sure.

I do think this program is more of a precursor to the pn eventually designing its own SLBM's, its a fact that the PN will acquire some form of BM sub some day, getting NRDI some developmental experience on ballistics isnt a bad idea

 

[JamD]

I do wonder how the PN plans to deploy SMASH onboard ships though.

at 2.6 tons a missile thats no joke... Either the PN intends on giving up depth and carrying 1/2 missiles, or the decks are alot stronger than i initially thought (im guessing its the former)

The F22P was designed to carry c802's, a 700kg missile. Heck, even our 054A's wont carry a full missile loadout and im pretty sure thats simply because the deck cant support it.

How the PN intends to fit 10 tons of missile on an area that was designed to fit lighter ashm's is beyond me.

On top of that, every navy that deployed AShBM's onboard ships walked that decision back, i sincerely hope PN does too, as wide area AAW capabilities improve, our ships need longer, smarter sticks, deploy these on subs and shore though, sure.

I do think this program is more of a precursor to the pn eventually designing its own SLBM's, its a fact that the PN will acquire some form of BM sub some day, getting NRDI some developmental experience on ballistics isnt a bad idea

I was thinking that we had no sign of cannisterization for that but then I thought about F2, which is in a cannister-lite. So perhaps SLBM IS the intention.

 

[Corax]

I do wonder how the PN plans to deploy SMASH onboard ships though.

at 2.6 tons a missile thats no joke... Either the PN intends on giving up depth and carrying 1/2 missiles, or the decks are alot stronger than i initially thought (im guessing its the former)

The F22P was designed to carry c802's, a 700kg missile. Heck, even our 054A's wont carry a full missile loadout and im pretty sure thats simply because the deck cant support it.

How the PN intends to fit 10 tons of missile on an area that was designed to fit lighter ashm's is beyond me.

On top of that, every navy that deployed AShBM's onboard ships walked that decision back, i sincerely hope PN does too, as wide area AAW capabilities improve, our ships need longer, smarter sticks, deploy these on subs and shore though, sure.

I do think this program is more of a precursor to the pn eventually designing its own SLBM's, its a fact that the PN will acquire some form of BM sub some day, getting NRDI some developmental experience on ballistics isnt a bad idea

I've mentioned this before, the key issue with something like SMASH is having adequate platforms in good enough numbers to make any difference in terms of getting through indian navy defences. If the most any vessel can carry is 2 SMASH missiles, the question would be is it worth it? Having land based long range anti ship ballistic missiles, possibly with manoeuvring hypersonic warheads would be a better option in terms of greater numbers for saturation attacks to overwhelm indian navy defences.

 

[Pakistan Space Agency]

Masha'Allah. Good news.

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[Ibbi32]

I do wonder how the PN plans to deploy SMASH onboard ships though.

at 2.6 tons a missile thats no joke... Either the PN intends on giving up depth and carrying 1/2 missiles, or the decks are alot stronger than i initially thought (im guessing its the former)

The F22P was designed to carry c802's, a 700kg missile. Heck, even our 054A's wont carry a full missile loadout and im pretty sure thats simply because the deck cant support it.

How the PN intends to fit 10 tons of missile on an area that was designed to fit lighter ashm's is beyond me.

On top of that, every navy that deployed AShBM's onboard ships walked that decision back, i sincerely hope PN does too, as wide area AAW capabilities improve, our ships need longer, smarter sticks, deploy these on subs and shore though, sure.

I do think this program is more of a precursor to the pn eventually designing its own SLBM's, its a fact that the PN will acquire some form of BM sub some day, getting NRDI some developmental experience on ballistics isnt a bad idea

2.6 tons is heavy but how can't the deck support it? Bigger issue is space imo as there isn't that much more space to put bigger missiles. I assume itll be 2x2 launchers in place of cm802s but that is imo still too munitions. If somehow a comprehensive MLU can be done like narusean for these ships turning them primarily into smash battleries would be the right choice

 

[JamD]

I've mentioned this before, the key issue with something like SMASH is having adequate platforms in good enough numbers to make any difference in terms of getting through indian navy defences. If the most any vessel can carry is 2 SMASH missiles, the question would be is it worth it? Having land based long range anti ship ballistic missiles, possibly with manoeuvring hypersonic warheads would be a better option in terms of greater numbers for saturation attacks to overwhelm indian navy defences.

Shore-based area denial with 400km range would be quite nice. At that point, this is F2 with different brains, which is even nicer.

 

[Corax]

Shore-based area denial with 400km range would be quite nice. At that point, this is F2 with different brains, which is even nicer.

Range could be extended with a booster stage, or possibly a boosted warhead stage.

 

[JamD]

Range could be extended with a booster stage, or possibly a boosted warhead stage.

No need to extend the range in my opinion. 400km is plenty. Longer than that then you start running into targeting issues caused by time-of-flight and distance.

 

[PK781]

congratulations Pakistan Navy.

May the enemy always remain fearful of your capabilities and vengenace.
InshAllah one day to sink IN assets!

The legacy of PNS Hangor and PNS Ghazi and others will always terrify the enemy...

Pakistan Zindabad

 

[Goenitz]

@Quwa, will you guys do a podcast?

 

[Ak01]

2.6 tons is heavy but how can't the deck support it? Bigger issue is space imo as there isn't that much more space to put bigger missiles. I assume itll be 2x2 launchers in place of cm802s but that is imo still too munitions. If somehow a comprehensive MLU can be done like narusean for these ships turning them primarily into smash battleries would be the right choice

ship decks have weight limits like anything else. Any heavier and you risk punching a hole through the deck.

2x2 is 10 tons, which is alot of weight, spread out over not alot of area. youd need to significantly structurally reinforce these.

 

[Ak01]

I was thinking that we had no sign of cannisterization for that but then I thought about F2, which is in a cannister-lite. So perhaps SLBM IS the intention.

you know, i wonder, if there was a cook off scenario, how well would those canisters fare?

im guessing we see a similar warhead to fatah 2 as theres no need for a shaped charge, itll rely on sheer kinetics i guess, so why bother re working the warhead, but it begs the question, how safe is it to carry these on deck too?

Also, im guessing the deck would need to be modified further to be able to handle the blast deflection? compared to a smaller missile's srm, this is probably orders of magnitude more powerful and maybe burns hotter right? seems like it would cause significant damage to the deck too.

when the indians deployed dhanush, it looks like they had a channel at the launcher for blast deflection


even with slant launchers, i wonder how they will work this out. I really dont think these will be deployed on ships, but then again, they are testing them from F22P's, maybe its certifiying them from launch from ships if ever needed (like we're running outta munitions), but we wont officially see them deployed. Basically FFBNW.

 

[Gripen9]

I've mentioned this before, the key issue with something like SMASH is having adequate platforms in good enough numbers to make any difference in terms of getting through indian navy defences. If the most any vessel can carry is 2 SMASH missiles, the question would be is it worth it? Having land based long range anti ship ballistic missiles, possibly with manoeuvring hypersonic warheads would be a better option in terms of greater numbers for saturation attacks to overwhelm indian navy defences.

What about FACs?
If you have 10x FACs carrying 2x2 (4 SLBMs) and attacking in groups of 4-5 to make it meaningful and also presenting smaller targets to hit. Of course they need air cover and adequate range.