Shaheen-III Ballistic Missile

Full Specifications

Pakistan Shaheen-III Ballistic Missile

The Pakistan Shaheen-III is a medium to intermediate-range ballistic missile developed to strengthen Pakistan’s strategic deterrence capability. Designed as a surface-to-surface missile, Shaheen-III extends Pakistan’s reach beyond earlier Shaheen variants and is widely viewed as a key component of the country’s land-based nuclear deterrent force. Publicly revealed in 2015 after a successful test launch, the system was developed to cover long-distance targets and improve second-strike survivability.

Shaheen-III uses solid-fuel propulsion, allowing faster launch readiness and reduced preparation time compared with liquid-fuel systems. Its road-mobile transporter erector launcher (TEL) design improves survivability through mobility and dispersed deployment. The missile is believed to be capable of carrying conventional or nuclear payloads depending on mission configuration.

Manufacturer

Shaheen-III is associated with Pakistan’s National Development Complex (NDC), with support from the country’s broader strategic and aerospace industrial base. The system was developed domestically under Pakistan’s strategic weapons program, reflecting continued investment in indigenous missile production and propulsion technology.

Speed and Range

Open-source assessments estimate the Shaheen-III has a range of approximately 2,750 kilometers, making it the longest-range missile publicly tested by Pakistan. This range enables coverage of distant strategic targets across South Asia.

The missile is believed to travel at high supersonic to hypersonic reentry speeds, commonly estimated above Mach 10 during terminal ballistic flight. Like other ballistic missiles, speed varies by flight phase.

Cost / Price

No official unit price has been publicly released. Because strategic missile programs include launchers, command systems, logistics, and security infrastructure, exact costs remain classified. Analysts generally assess such systems as high-value strategic assets costing many millions of dollars per deployed unit.