Was Pakistan’s ‘Babur-3’ missile launch fake?

A few experts on imagery analysis from Pathankot has presented a technical evidence claiming that the launch video of Babur-3 was fake and was graphically tailored.

By: News Desk |
January 10, 2017 4:08 pm

A day after Pakistan announced the successful test launch of nuclear-capable cruise missile Babur-3, certain media reports have claimed that Pakistan may have faked the test-launch.

According to a report published in India Today, an expert on imagery analysis from Pathankot has presented a technical evidence claiming that the launch video of Babur-3 was fake and was graphically tailored.

The analyst has tweeted several pictures on twitter and asserted that Pakistan used a computer-generated image over some background, just to show successful launch of the missile Babur – 3.

Another expert, retired Colonel Vinayak Bhatt, also claimed that the video released by the Pak army showing the missile launch appears to be generated using certain software. He stated that the missile changes its colour from white to orange in the video and surprisingly, the missile is moving at an impossibly higher speed.

#Pakistan #SLCM #Babur3 Fake video clip uses CGI. Geo-location coming up shortly. https://t.co/26ysrUQDrc

— RAJ (@rajfortyseven) January 9, 2017

#Pakistan #Nuclear #SLCM #Babur3 Notice video closely at 7s. Missile was flying with canister for almost 8 secs? Cavitation canister?? pic.twitter.com/zIwIZzmfr1

— RAJ (@rajfortyseven) January 9, 2017

#Pakistan #SLCM #Babur3 Geo-located CGI 25°20’13″N 64°53’18″E. Missile moves 15kms in 8sec speed 6750kmph. pic.twitter.com/Dc3TV6zVvd

— RAJ (@rajfortyseven) January 9, 2017

Babur-3 is a sea-based variant of Ground Launched Cruise Missile (GLCM) Babur-2, which was successfully tested earlier in December, last year.

The Pakistani military had said the Babur-3 missile was “capable of delivering various types of payloads and will provide Pakistan with a Credible Second Strike Capability, augmenting deterrence”

Earlier on January 9, Pakistan military spokesman Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor posted a video on Twitter and captioned it as:

“Pakistan successfully test-fired first Submarine launched Cruise Missile Babur-3. Rg 450 Km. COAS congrats Nation and the team involved,” he tweeted.

#Pakistan successfully test fired first Submarine launched Cruise Missile Babur-3. Rg 450 Km. #COAS congrats Nation and the team involved. pic.twitter.com/YRNei5oF65

— Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor (@OfficialDGISPR) January 9, 2017

The missile is capable of hugging terrain and sea skimming to evade radar and air defences and “certain stealth technologies”, the statement added.

According to the reports, The test was witnessed by the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) General Zubair Mahmood Hayat, DG Strategic Plans Division (SPD) Lieutenant General Mazhar Jamil, Commander Naval Strategic Force Command (NSFC), senior officials, scientists and engineers from Scientific Strategic Organizations.