ISLAMABAD - Pakistan on Thursday successfully test-fired an air-launched cruise missile capable of carrying nuclear warheads, the military said. The launch of the Ra'ad missile, which has a range of 350 kilometres, was carried out at an undisclosed location, the military said, and came a day after India said it successfully test-launched its longest-range nuclear-capable missile.The Ra'ad, developed exclusively for launch from aerial platforms, has enabled Pakistan to achieve a greater strategic standoff capability on land and at sea, a Pakistan military statement said. Ra'ad, which is Arabic for thunder, is a low-altitude, terrain-following missile with high maneuverability, the military said.
The missile test is part of a continuing process of validating the design parameters of the weapons system, the Army said.