Artillery: Resourceful Repackaging

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May 25, 2018: In early 2018 Pakistan revealed the existence of a land based mobile anti-ship missile system. Called Zarb, it consists of three missiles, each in a container/launcher mounted on an 8x8 truck. The containers are elevated before the missile is fired over the cab. In early 2016 Zarb was successfully test fired as a land-based anti-ship missile. Because of the success of that test Zarb was declared ready for service.

At the time few other details were released but it appeared that Zarb was a locally made version of the Chinese C-602. This missile has been exported by China since 2005 and is a 1.3 ton sub-sonic missile powered by a jet engine with a max range of 280 kilometers and a 300 kg (660 pound) warhead. C602 uses satellite guidance to reach the general area where the target and then a radar to find a specific ship to hit.

Pakistan had bought 120 C602s in 2009 but China is willing to license local production to favored customers. This is usually done quietly, without press releases and such. Since Pakistan is the largest export customer for Chinese weapons it makes sense they could get such a license and build their own C602s and call them Zarb. China also has a similar mobile launcher for land-based C602 missiles.

Pakistan also uses imported C802A anti-ship missiles on warships and some warplanes. This is a 6.8 meter (21 foot) long, 360mm, 682 kg (1,500 pound) missile with a 165 kg (360 pound) warhead. The C802 has a max range of 120 kilometers and moves along at about 250 meters a second. Iran and North Korea produce their own version of the C802. Like the C602 the C802 can also be launched from land using fixed or truck mounted launchers.