On April 15, 2026, the Pakistan Navy (PN) tested what it described as an indigenously developed ship-launched anti-ship ballistic missile (ASBM) that “accurately engaged its target with high speed at extended range.”[1] Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) Admiral Naveed Ashraf witnessed the firing alongside senior scientists and engineers.[2]
This test points to the PN’s wider strike model. The service appears to be building a more scalable anti-ship missile mix centered on domestic development, common-platform production, and a wider range of launch options.
Turkish defence publication TurDef identified the launch platform as a Babur-class (MILGEM) corvette based on visual details in the released footage, including the IFF antenna, the SMASH 200/25 remote weapon station, and antenna placement near the exhaust.[3] If that identification is correct, then this was the first known ASBM firing from a corvette-class platform. The timing is also notable. The test came 11 days after the PN inducted PNS Khaibar (F-282), the second Babur-class corvette, on April 4.[4]
The missile itself appears to be a new sub-variant of the SMASH anti-ship ballistic missile, which GIDS is now openly identifying as the P282. During the previous known SMASH test, conducted from a Zulfiquar-class (F-22P) frigate in November 2025, the PN cited a domestic range of 350 km.[5] The use of the term “extended range” likely points to a longer-ranged configuration. However, the available information does not yet show how much range was added or whether the change came through a new motor configuration, revised propellant, lower payload weight, or a combination of these factors.
Background on the SMASH/P282
The P282 designation predates the SMASH branding. In October 2020, then-CNS Admiral Zafar Mahmood Abbasi described the program as a “hypersonic ship-launched anti-ship/land-attack ballistic missile” during his farewell address.[6][7] In practice, the “hypersonic” label was loose. It appears to have referred to terminal speed during descent rather than sustained hypersonic cruise in the contemporary sense of the term.
That interpretation aligns with how GIDS presented the SMASH at the World Defense Show (WDS) 2026. According to Quwa’s earlier reporting, GIDS cited terminal speeds exceeding Mach 2 and described the missile as using a quasi-ballistic trajectory.[8] The SMASH, therefore, appears to be a short-range ballistic weapon optimized for maritime attack.
The more important point is the missile’s relationship to the wider Fatah-2 family. The SMASH, Fatah-2 guided rocket, and Abdali Weapon System appear to share a common core architecture, namely a single-stage solid rocket motor and broadly similar airframe design. Pakistan may be using one baseline propulsion and structural design across multiple roles.
That approach carries practical advantages. The Fatah-2 serves the land-strike role. The SMASH adapts the same baseline for anti-ship use through the addition of a terminal seeker. The Abdali extends the concept into a strategic role. Pakistan can spread its investment in propulsion, structures, and production engineering across several weapon types instead of building each one as an isolated line.
This production philosophy differs from what Pakistan used for older ballistic missiles such as the Shaheen-I, Shaheen-II, and Shaheen-III. Those systems were tied primarily to strategic deterrence. The newer-generation systems appear geared toward conventional use in larger numbers. Pakistan seems to be building a missile family it can field across multiple services in meaningful volume.
Why the “Extended Range” Point Matters
A longer-ranged SMASH would widen the PN’s engagement envelope, especially from smaller surface combatants and, potentially, coastal batteries. It would also increase the stand-off distance from which the PN can threaten surface targets.
