Pakistan's nuclear capabilities

 Background

1. Pakistan has a growing arsenal of nuclear weapons and remains excluded from both, the treaty of non proliferation of nuclear weapons as well as the comprehensive nuclear test ban treaty.

a)  Pakistan  creating more strategic  nuclear weapons for  battlefield. 

b)  Analysis of Pakistan's Nuclear Warheads 

c) Air , Sea and Land Capabilities

d)  Ballistic Missiles of Pakistan

PART- l Stockpile of warheads.

1.  It is believed that Pakistan consists of approximately 160 warheads which makes it the sixth largest nuclear arsenal. This nation has twice ( January 2017, and March 2018) successfully tested a nuclear capable submarine launched cruise missile from a submerged platform. And the experts project that it might have the 5^th largest arsenal by 2025 consisting around 220-250 warheads. 

2. Based on the size of weapons that were tested by the government of Pakistan in 1998, it is assessed that the current weapons have yields of 5 to 12 kt. Although, a lot better yields are hypothetically conceivable, which could incredibly increase the casualties and have a worldwide natural impacts. 

3. In late 2006, the Institute for Science and International Security released intelligence reports and imagery showing the construction of a new plutonium reactor at the Khushab nuclear site. The reactor is deemed to be large enough to produce enough plutonium to facilitate the creation of as of nuclear weapons. On 30 May 1998, Pakistan proved its plutonium capability in a scientific experiment and sixth nuclear test: codename Chagai-II.

PART-II Aierial- nuclear capabilities

4.  Now, when we talk about nuclear strikes through aerial means then it is essential to mention that air component of Pakistan's nuclear force consist of the f-16 combat aircraft along with some Mirage v and lll  aircrafts which has the dual capability of handling both conventional as well as nuclear strikes. Pakistan nuclear air branch comprise around 36 warheads. 

5.  The f-16 A/B has around 24 launchers with a range of 1600 km. The Mirage lll and V has roughly 12 launchers with a range of 2100 km and other exceptionally precise air-launched cruise missile named as the Raad has a range of 350+ kilometres.

PART- III Sea- nuclear capabilities

6.  Pakistan has been supposedly creating more modest, strategic nuclear weapons for use on the battlefield. n February 2001 Pakistan Navy was officially reported to be deploying nuclear weapons on its submarines. As per the reports Pakistan has been developing a nuclear capable ground-launched cruise missile which would be a sea based variant of the Half VII Babur.

7.  The month of January 2017 Pakistan tested the barbur-3 for the first time which was the sea launched version of the ground launched nuclear-capable Barbur-2. Although as this whole test took place on a submerged platform which was not a submarine; hence Pakistan is not yet officially considered to have sea based deterrent. 

8.  This nation has a stockpile of plutonium which would help them to fabricate a number of miniature nuclear warheads. That could be used in C-803 or C-802 anti ship missiles.

PART-IV Land- nuclear capabilities

9.  Pakistan is likewise believed to be creating strategic atomic weapons for use on the war zone with ranges up to 60 km, for example, the Nasr rocket. Jeffrey Lewis, overseer of the East Asia Non-expansion Program at the Monterey Institute of International Studies, indicated that Pakistan is building up its own equal to the Davy Crockett launcher with a scaled down warhead that might be like the W54.

10.  Pakistan is in control of various nuclear capable, road-mobile ballistic rockets, including the short-range Abdali, Ghaznavi, Shaheen-1 and NASR and medium-range Shaheen-2 and Ghauri. Pakistan has 6 operational atomic fit ballistic rockets. 

11.  Pakistan has displayed issues of survivability in a potential nuclear clash through second strike capability. Pakistan has been managing endeavors to grow new weapons and simultaneously, have a strategy for enduring a nuclear war. Pakistan has fabricated hard and profoundly covered storage and launch facilities to hold a second strike ability in an atomic war. 

12 Few medium range ballistic missiles of Pakistan are-

Ghauri-II (1,800-2,000 km) (Pakistan)

Ababeel (2,200 km) (Pakistan) 

Shaheen-II(2,500 km) Pakistan

Shaheen-III (2,750 km)  Pakistan

 

PART V Conclusion

13 If Pakistan is to succeed in being mainstreamed in the nuclear order and in gaining entry into the NSG and other bodies, it will need to employ a different strategy than India. The Pakistani case for mainstreaming rests on three arguments. The first is basic fairness: Pakistan deserves the same treatment and status in the global nuclear order as India. The second is stability: the subcontinent will grow increasingly unstable if India and Pakistan are treated differently, with India accorded favored treatment and Pakistan remaining an outlier. 

14 Presumably Pakistan is developing lowyield nuclear warheads for some of these systems. After testing nuclear devices in 1998, Pakistan reportedly has maintained a “recessed” nuclear deterrence posture, with warheads and delivery vehicles stored separately. Some elements of full spectrum deterrence, to include forward-stationed short-range missiles and nuclear weapons deployed at sea, would likely entail the mating of warheads with launchers and maintaining a higher level of alert.