The Pakistan Navy recently test-fired a new ship-based ballistic missile, dubbed "SMASH," with a reported range of 350 kilometers. However, Indian Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) networks suggest this missile is likely a Chinese import based on the CM-401 Anti-Ship Ballistic Missile (ASBM), raising concerns about potential violations of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR). This development underscores Pakistan's increasing reliance on Chinese technology to bolster its maritime strike capabilities, particularly against larger naval vessels.
The SMASH missile, internally known as P-282, bears a striking resemblance to the Chinese-developed CM-401 ASBM. Designed to target ships, fleets, and harbor installations, the CM-401 is a formidable weapon due to its advanced trajectory and high speed. By acquiring this technology, Pakistan gains the ability to precisely target high-value naval assets at a speed that challenges traditional defenses.
Key features of the CM-401, and by extension, the SMASH missile, include:
- Near-Space Trajectory: The missile ascends to near-space altitudes before descending towards its target, making interception more difficult.
- Supersonic Maneuverability: The missile maintains supersonic speeds throughout its flight, utilizing maneuverable trajectories that complicate tracking and interception efforts.
- Terminal-Dive and Top-Attack Capabilities: The missile's final approach involves a steep dive, enabling a top-attack on the target, exploiting the weaker defenses on the upper sections of ships.
- Adaptive Launch Platforms: The missile can be launched from various platforms, providing operational flexibility.
- Multi-Trajectory Coordination: The missile can coordinate multiple trajectories to enhance its ability to penetrate defensive layers.
Furthering suspicions of Chinese origin, the SMASH missile's design closely resembles Pakistan's recently inducted Fatah-II Close-Range Ballistic Missile (CRBM). The visual similarities between the Fatah-II's airframe and the P-282 suggest a shared design lineage with the CM-401, possibly indicating the use of standardized components across Pakistan's new missile platforms.
China's apparent supply of CM-401 ASBM technology to Pakistan, rebranded as the SMASH missile, highlights the deepening defence cooperation between the two nations. This transfer of technology allows Pakistan to rapidly enhance its military capabilities without the need for lengthy indigenous development.
By providing Pakistan with the CM-401 design, China delivers ready-made stealth, speed, and precision capabilities, which would otherwise take Pakistan years to develop independently. This collaboration serves China's broader strategic objectives of countering regional adversaries and projecting influence through proxy support.
The introduction of the SMASH missile significantly enhances Pakistan's ability to engage high-value maritime targets with precision, speed, and resilience against interception. This development is likely to impact the regional balance of naval power and deterrence dynamics, particularly for India, which may need to accelerate its development of advanced naval and missile defence systems to counter this emerging threat.
