ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) has successfully conducted a test of an air-launched cruise missile, ‘Taimoor,’ the Pakistani military said on Saturday, marking another significant milestone in advancement of national aerospace and defense capabilities.

The indigenously developed Taimoor weapon system is capable of engaging enemy land and sea targets with high precision. The missile has a range of 600 kilometers and carries a conventional warhead.

The missile test comes months after a brief but intense military conflict between Pakistan and India in which the nuclear-armed neighbors exchanged missile and artillery fire and deployed drones and fighter jets.

Equipped with state-of-the-art navigation and guidance system, Taimoor is designed to fly at very low altitudes, enabling it to effectively evade hostile air and missile defense systems.

“Its precision-strike capability significantly enhances the conventional deterrence and operational flexibility of Pakistan Air Force, further strengthening the country’s overall defense posture,” said the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military’s media wing.

“The successful flight test underscores the technical maturity, innovation and self-reliance achieved by Pakistan’s defense industry.”

The missile’s launch was witnessed by senior officers of the armed forces along with distinguished scientists and engineers, who played a pivotal role in the development of this advanced weapon system.

PAF’s Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu congratulated the scientists, engineers and the entire PAF team on this remarkable achievement, lauding their professional excellence, dedication and unwavering commitment to strengthening Pakistan’s defense capabilities.

“The air chief reaffirmed that such accomplishments are a testament to the nation’s resolve to achieve technological self-sufficiency and maintain a credible conventional deterrent in the evolving regional security environment,” the ISPR said.

“The successful test of the Taimoor weapon system reflects Pakistan Air Force’s continued pursuit of operational readiness, technological superiority and national security objectives.”

Pakistan has placed greater emphasis on battle readiness in recent months. On Dec. 15, Pakistan Navy test-fired surface-to-air missile in the northern Arabian Sea.

Prior to that, Chief of Defense Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir visited frontline garrisons of Gujranwala and Sialkot to observe a field training exercise involving tanks and drones, where he had highlighted the importance of technological adaptability, saying modern warfare required agility, precision, situational awareness and rapid decision-making.