| Hatf-VIII Ra'ad | |
|---|---|
 The Hatf-VIII Ra'ad on a Pakistan Air Force's F-16D platform, artist impression. | |
| Type | ALCM |
| Place of origin |  Pakistan |
| Service history | |
| In service | 2012–Present |
| Used by |  Pakistan Air Force |
| Production history | |
| Designer | National Engineering & Scientific Commission (Guidance/controls) Air Weapons Complex (Warhead design/assembly) |
| Designed | 1998–2007 |
| Manufacturer | Air Weapons Complex |
| Variants | Ra'ad II |
| Specifications (Technical data) | |
| Mass | 1,100 kg (2,400 lb) |
| Length | 4.85 m (15.9 ft) |
| Diameter | 0.50 m (20 in) |
| Maximum firing range | 550 km (340 mi) |
| Warhead | ICM/HE/NE |
| Warhead weight | 450 kg (990 lb) |
| Blast yield | 5 kilotons of TNT (21 TJ)—12 kilotons of TNT (50 TJ)[1] |
| Engine | Turbojet |
| Payload capacity | 450 kg (990 lb) |
Operational range | 350 km (220 mi)–550 km (340 mi) |
| Flight altitude | Terrain-following |
| Maximum speed | ≤0.8 Mach. (980 km/h (610 mph)) |
Guidance system | Inertial, Terminal |
| Accuracy | 3.0 m (9.8 ft) CEP[2] |
Launch platform | F-16A/B, Mirage-IIIR |
| Transport | Combat aircraft |
The Ra'ad (Urdu: رعد; lit. "Thunder"; Military designation: Hatf-VIII Ra'ad, Transl.: Target-8), is a subsonic, standoff air-launched cruise missile (ALCM) jointly designed and developed by the National Engineering & Scientific Commission (NESCOM) and Air Weapons Complex.
It is deployed in the military service of Pakistan Air Force as Hatf-VIII, and has provided Pakistan with aerial nuclear deterrence.: 388–389 [3]
- ^ Kristensen, Hans; Korda, Matt. "Pakistan nuclear weapons, 2023". Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
- ^ Eshel, Tamir (30 April 2011). "Pakistan Tests Ra'ad (HATF VIII) Air-Launched Cruise Missile - Defense Update". defense update. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
- ^ Khan, Feroz (7 November 2012). Eating Grass: The Making of the Pakistani Bomb. Stanford University Press. p. 500. ISBN 978-0-8047-8480-1. Retrieved 10 October 2023.