What happened
The Pakistan Navy said on Thursday 16 April 2026 that it had successfully carried out a live weapon firing of an indigenously developed, ship-launched anti-ship missile, which it said “accurately engaged its target with high speed at extended range”, according to a statement from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) reported by Dawn.
The ISPR framed the event as “a resolute display of preparedness and precision-strike capability”. Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf, along with leading scientists and engineers, witnessed the missile firing.
What the Navy said about the weapon
The ISPR said the missile integrates a cutting-edge guidance system and advanced maneuverability, enabling it to “evade threats, adapt to dynamic conditions, and deliver with precision and lethality”. It described the weapon system as capable of engaging targets both at sea and on land “with high precision”. Dawn’s report characterised the weapon as an anti-ship ballistic missile, while the ISPR statement referred to it as a ship-launched anti-ship missile.
The statement called the successful launch a “fusion of technological excellence and operational expertise” and a “manifestation of the Pakistan Navy’s commitment to maintaining credible sea-based deterrence in a conventional domain and ensuring maritime security and stability in the region”.
Reaction
President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, and the services chiefs commended the participating units and scientists on achieving the milestone, the ISPR said. The previous test of the missile was conducted in November last year.
Why it matters
The firing was announced as the Navy continued to publicise indigenously developed systems, and it followed the earlier test of the same missile in November 2025. Because the service described the weapon as capable of striking targets at sea and on land, the announcement projected a conventional deterrence and maritime-security capability at a time when regional attention was focused on naval activity in nearby waters.
Sources & reporting notes
This is a synthesis of published material, not eyewitness reporting. Sources were reviewed on 2026-04-16.
- Dawn — Pakistan Navy successfully test fires locally developed anti-ship ballistic missile: ISPRPublished 16 April 2026 · Primary: ISPR statement on the 16 April live weapon firing, the "ship-launched anti-ship missile" description, the extended-range high-speed engagement, Admiral Naveed Ashraf's presence, the guidance and maneuverability language, the sea-and-land targeting claim, the November 2025 previous test, and the reaction from the president, prime minister, CDF and services chiefs.
