Latest news with #IntercontinentalBallisticMissiles
Hans India
3 days ago
- Business
- Hans India
New Nuclear Threat: Pak developing ballistic missile that could hit US
Washington/New Delhi: The Pakistani military is secretively developing a nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) that could reach the United States, according to intelligence agencies in Washington. The report by 'Foreign Affairs' comes amid reports that Pakistan was looking to upgrade its nuclear arsenal with support from China after India's Operation Sindoor. The report, quoting US officials, said if Pakistan goes on to acquire such a missile, Washington would designate the country as a nuclear adversary. Any nation possessing nuclear weapons that is considered a potential threat or opponent of the US is seen as a nuclear adversary. Presently, Russia, China and North Korea are considered adversarial to the US. "If Pakistan acquires an ICBM, Washington will have no choice but to treat the country as a nuclear adversary. No other country with ICBMs that can target the United States is considered a friend," the report quoted US officials as saying. Pakistan has always claimed that its nuclear program was strictly focused on deterring India. Its policy has been focused on developing short and medium-range missiles. Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs), which can be armed with both nuclear and conventional warheads, are capable of hitting targets over 5,500 km. Presently, Pakistan has no ICBMs. In 2022, Pakistan tested the surface-to-surface medium-range ballistic missile Shaheen-III, which can hit targets over 2,700 km, bringing a number of Indian cities under its range. In developing an intercontinental ballistic missile, Pakistan might be looking to deter the US from trying to eliminate its nuclear arsenal in case of a preventive attack and also prevent it from intervening on India's behalf if both the neighbouring countries clash again. The issue is being viewed with concern by the US. Last year, Washington imposed fresh sanctions related to Pakistan's long-range ballistic-missile program. The sanctions were slapped on the National Development Complex, the state-owned defence agency overseeing the missile program, and three other firms. It froze any US property belonging to the entities and barred American firms from doing business with them. While Pakistan called the move "biased", the US action was based on a State Department factsheet that said Islamabad sought to obtain components for its long-range ballistic-missile program. Pakistan, which possesses around 170 nuclear warheads, is not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). The treaty is aimed at preventing the spread of nuclear weapons and promoting peaceful uses of nuclear energy. The fresh development comes after the latest World Threat Assessment report by the US said Pakistan, rattled by India's Operation Sindoor, was obtaining materials and technology for developing weapons of mass destruction from China. During last month's hostilities, India destroyed nine terror camps and targeted 11 vital airbases deep inside Pakistan. There were reports that Pakistan fired Fatah-II, a hypersonic ballistic missile, towards India. However, the missile was intercepted by India's robust air defence systems.
News18
3 days ago
- Politics
- News18
Pakistan Developing Long-Range Nuclear Ballistic Missile That Can Reach US, Reveals New Report
Last Updated: Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs), which can be armed with both nuclear and conventional warheads, are capable of hitting targets over 5,500 km The Pakistani military is working on developing a nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missile capable of reaching the continental United States, a new report by Foreign Affairs reveals amid reports that in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor, Pakistan was looking to bolster its nuclear arsenal with support from China. Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs), which can be armed with both nuclear and conventional warheads, are capable of hitting targets over 5,500 km. According to the report, citing US officials, if Pakistan successfully develops such a missile, Washington would classify the country as a nuclear adversary. At present, Russia, China and North Korea are considered adversarial to the US. Pakistan's nuclear weapons programme began in the early 1970s, largely driven by regional tensions, particularly after India conducted its first nuclear test in 1974. The country officially became a nuclear-armed state in 1998, after carrying out a series of six nuclear tests. Sources close to the matter suggest that Pakistan's decision to develop such a missile is a response to India's growing military strength and its investment in advanced missile defence systems. Pakistan has long relied on its nuclear arsenal as a deterrent against India's conventional military superiority, but this new development signals a dramatic escalation in the region's arms race. The China-Pakistan nexus plays a significant role in Pakistan's nuclear strategy. While China has not publicly supported the development of Pakistan's ICBM, its ongoing military assistance and economic investments in Pakistan have bolstered Islamabad's defence capabilities. Experts suggest that China may have given tacit approval to Pakistan's missile program, further complicating the security calculus for India and the US. A key concern for both India and the US is the security of Pakistan's nuclear arsenal. Given Pakistan's history of instability and militant groups, the potential for terrorist infiltration or unauthorised access to such powerful weapons is a real worry. Experts fear that if Pakistan's nuclear systems are not adequately safeguarded, it could pose a major risk not only for the region but also for the broader international community. First Published: June 25, 2025, 14:32 IST
Hindustan Times
4 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Pakistan developing nuclear-capable ICBM that could reach US after India's Operation Sindoor: Report
Pakistan is developing a nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) that could reach the United States, according to a report published in Washington. Pakistan is said to be developing a long-range ballistic missile.(via REUTERS) According to the report by 'Foreign Affairs', if Pakistan does make or acquire such a weapon, the country would be viewed as a nuclear adversary by the US. The report comes amid buzz that Islamabad was looking to upgrade its nuclear arsenal with support from China after India launched Operation Sindoor last month. Any nation that has nuclear weapons and is considered a potential threat or opponent of the US is termed by Washington as a nuclear adversary. Russia, China and North Korea make up the current list as of now, but according to officials quoted in the report, Pakistan may also find a place in the list if it gets that weapon. "If Pakistan acquires an ICBM, Washington will have no choice but to treat the country as a nuclear adversary. No other country with ICBMs that can target the United States is considered a friend," the report quoted US officials as saying. The official position of Pakistan has always been that its nuclear programme was strictly focused on deterring India, developing short- and medium-range missiles. Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs), which can be armed with both nuclear and conventional warheads, are capable of hitting targets over 5,500 km, and Islamabad currently doesn't have any ICBMs in its arsenal. It had tested the surface-to-surface medium-range ballistic missile Shaheen-III in 2022. The missile has a range of over 2,700 km and brings a number of Indian cities within its range. The reason Pakistan might be developing an ICBM to target the US Pakistan might have started developing an ICBM to try and deter the US from trying to eliminate its nuclear arsenal in case of a preventive attack. It might have gotten even more motivation after Washington's strikes on nuclear facilities in Iran. The missile might also prevent the US from intervening on India's behalf if the neighbouring countries clash again. The US is viewing the development with a lot of concern. It had imposed fresh sanctions related to Pakistan's long-range ballistic-missile program last year. The sanctions were slapped on the National Development Complex, the state-owned defence agency overseeing the missile program, and three other firms. Any US property belonging to the four entities was frozen, and American firms were barred from doing business with them. Islamabad had called the move 'biased'. Neither India nor Pakistan is a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). The treaty is aimed at preventing the spread of nuclear weapons and promoting the peaceful uses of nuclear energy.
NDTV
5 days ago
- Politics
- NDTV
"Irrelevant", Says Marco Rubio On Whether Iran Was Building Nuclear Weapon
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has defended President Donald Trump's decision to target Iran's three nuclear facilities despite intelligence and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)'s assessment that Tehran was in no position to have weapons. "It doesn't matter," he said, adding Tehran had all the elements needed to build a nuclear weapon. In an interview with host Margaret Brennan on the CBS' "Face The Nation", Mr Rubio dismissed if the US knew whether Iran's Supreme Leader formally ordered the weaponisation of uranium, questioning why Tehran was hiding its nuclear sites deep inside mountains if they were truly for peaceful energy. "It's irrelevant," he answered. Mr Rubio asked, "Why do you bury nuclear things in a mountain, 300 feet under the ground? Why do they have 60 per cent enriched uranium? MUST WATCH: @SecRubio schools Margaret Brennan on the Iranian regime's nuclear program. "Why do they have 60% enriched uranium? ... The only countries in the world that have uranium at 60% are countries that have nuclear weapons because they can quickly make it 90%!" — Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) June 22, 2025 He stated that Iran might have been secretly planning to build a nuclear bomb because the country had enriched 60 per cent uranium, which can easily be increased to 90 per cent. Mr Rubio added: "You don't need 60 per cent uranium for peaceful energy." Mr Rubio further asked, "Why does Iran have a space program? Are they going to the moon?" He added, "No, they're trying to build an ICBM so they can one day put a warhead on it." He added if Iran weren't planning to carry nuclear warheads, then why were they developing Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBM)? Why do they possess 8,000 short-range missiles and 2,000 to 3,000 mid-range missiles, he asked. When pressed again over intelligence on Iran's nuclear program, Mr Rubio said: "Well, we have intelligence that they had everything they need to build a nuclear weapon." "And that's more than enough," he added. On Sunday, the US dropped 14,000-kg bunker-buster bombs on Iran's key nuclear sites of Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. The situation continued to be volatile on Monday when Israel launched a fresh round of missiles towards Tehran. A thick plume of smoke was seen emanating from a busy neighbourhood after Israel launched major strikes on security institutions, including facilities of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and police intelligence units, in Tehran. An Israeli military spokesman said they were targeting Islamic Revolutionary Guard command centres, Al Jazeera reported.
Ottawa Citizen
17-06-2025
- Business
- Ottawa Citizen
Burton and Seaboyer: Canada can do much better than join the 'Golden Dome' defence
Very soon, the Mark Carney government's much-needed investment in Canada's military will require urgent, historic choices regarding defence priorities and generational financial commitments. But as ministers and policymakers dissect options such as buying cripplingly expensive F-35 fighter jets, there is one move they should not make. Article content This spring, the day after King Charles opened Parliament with a speech emphasizing Canadian sovereignty, U.S. President Donald Trump invited Canada to join his proposed 'Golden Dome for America' missile defence system. The president indicated two ways for this to happen: Canada can either become the 51st state (which is a non-starter), or it would have to pony up a staggering $61-billion U.S. (For context, Canada's total 2024-25 military budget is $28.5-billion U.S.) Article content Article content Article content Canada should decline Trump's invitation. Article content Beyond the absurdity of handing such a massive sum to a leader who openly threatens to conquer Canada through economic coercion, the Golden Dome requires technology that does not yet even exist, and which will be extremely difficult to develop. (The system is likely to rely heavily on Elon Musk's SpaceX 'aerial moving target identifier,' a next-gen system that's still under development and would be unlikely to ever reach a deployable stage if Trump cancels Musk's government funding.) Article content Most modern Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles carry 'multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles' (MIRVs), meaning one missile can becomes 12 independent warheads, only one of which is needed to destroy an entire city. So far, no defence system has come close to a 100-per-cent probability of destroying all incoming missiles, especially those with technology that misleads weapon interception systems. Article content Article content Effectively integrating diverse systems — ground-based radars, sea-based assets, air-based sensors, and a new constellation of space-based sensors and interceptors — into a cohesive 'system of systems' is extraordinarily complex. This includes ensuring seamless data fusion, command and control, and communication with near-zero latency. Article content Article content In Israel, the Iron Dome has generally done well with defending a relatively small territory. We have seen in recent days, though, that Iranian missiles are increasingly able to get through the Iron Dome and strike Israeli targets. Defending the entire U.S. (nearly 500 times the size of Israel) presents an immense challenge in terms of the sheer number of sensors and interceptors needed for adequate coverage. One can only imagine the odds of successfully adding Canada's huge land mass to the mix. However, there is huge money at stake for some defence industry companies and significant political benefits, which no doubt fuels the enthusiasm some military experts express for the Golden Dome.
