Ghauri-II

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Pakistani medium-range ballistic missile

title: "Ghauri-II" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1999-in-spaceflight", "medium-range-ballistic-missiles-of-pakistan", "military-equipment-introduced-in-the-2000s", "2004-in-spaceflight", "guided-missiles-of-pakistan", "nuclear-missiles-of-pakistan"] description: "Pakistani medium-range ballistic missile" topic_path: "geography/pakistan" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghauri-II" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Pakistani medium-range ballistic missile ::

::data[format=table title="infobox weapon"]

Field	Value
name	Ghauri-II
origin
type	MRBM
is_ranged	yes
is_bladed	no
is_explosive	yes
is_artillery	yes
is_vehicle	yes
is_missile	yes
is_UK	no
service	2004–Present
(Not currently deployed)
used_by
(Army Strategic Forces Command)
designer	Khan Research Laboratories (KRL)
design_date	1993–2003
manufacturer	Khan Research Laboratories
variants	Ghauri-III
spec_label	Technical data
length	26 m
diameter	2.0 m
max_range	2000 km
filling	HE/NE
filling_weight	1500 kg
engine	Two-stage
transmission	Manual
suspension	Atego x 8WD semi-trailer
vehicle_range	1800-2000 km
guidance	Inertial, Terminal
propellant	Liquid-propellant
altitude	612 mi, reached in first test flight
launch_platform	Launch pad
::

Developed in response to India's Agni-II, its propellant technology is influenced from the Nodong-1 of North Korea.

Only two tests of Ghauri-II were conducted in 1999 and in 2004, but no military designation for deployment was ever assigned by the Pakistani military.

Development background

The Ghauri program was developed alongside the Shaheen program with a need to attained the ground-based second strike capability in an event of Pakistan's military losing ground against the Indian Army. In response to Agni-II deployment, Ghauri-II received much support but its technological influence comes from the Nodong-1 of North Korea.

Design development began in 1993 but the Ghauri-II program suffered with many setbacks and expensive trial and errors to meet Pakistan's survivability goals with Sharif administration terminating North Korean connections to favor its relations with Japan and the United States.

It took several years for Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) to undertake the design, engineering, metallurgical analysis, development of onboard computers, and programming, culminating in the complete assembly of the Ghauri-II missile in 2000.

Technical design

The Ghauri-II design developed from Ghauri with propellant technology influenced from the Nodong-1. Collaborating with other defense contractors, the Ghauri-II is a two-stage system with its motor length is increased to 2.0 m, allowing the rocket to afterburn for a longer time and extended range. Material selections for warhead design and assembly also featured using the high-strength aluminum against high-strength low-alloy steel. The Ghauri-II is designed for maximum operating range of 2000 km, respectively. Data provided by American-based Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Ghauri-II is about 18.0 m in length, has a diameter of 1.35 m with a launch weight of 1800 kg.

Operational testing

The Ghauri-II took its first flight in space in 1999; it flown more than 620 mi in 12 minutes after being fired from Mashhood Test Firing Range of Pakistan Army. The launch was in response to India's Agni-II that also took place in 1999.

After several years of gap, the Ghauri-II was last test fired in 2004 and enjoyed its distinction of being the longest range missile in service with Pakistan military, until its limit was exceeded by the successful launch of the Shaheen-II, also in 2004.

Since 2004, no further tests have been conducted, nor has it been deployed with unique military identification.

References

(7 November 2012). "Eating Grass: The Making of the Pakistani Bomb". Stanford University Press.
(15 April 1999). "Pakistan test-fires missile".
(19 May 1999). "New round of Indo-Pak Ballistic Missiles". Ariticle written by Lt Gen (Retd) SARDAR FS LODI examines the new missile race in SOUTH ASIA.
(15 September 2020). "Pakistan's Security and the India–US Strategic Partnership: Nuclear Politics and Security Competition". Routledge.
(2004). "Missile Defense: The Current Debate". Nova Publishers.
Pakistan Completes 'Trials' of Ghauri-III Missile Engine Islamabad The News 30 September 1999 page 10 -- Pakistan has successfully completed the trials of Ghauri-III missile's engine at Kahuta Research Laboratories. Ghauri-III would cover the range of over 3,000 kilometres.
"Missiles of the World".
[http://www.strategycenter.net/research/pubID.47/pub_detail.asp Pakistan’s Long Range Ballistic Missiles: A View From IDEAS] {{webarchive. link. (29 December 2012)
(12 October 2012). "Pakistan's Nuclear Weapons". Routledge.
. (15 March 2004). ["Pakistan tests its longest-range missile"](http://www.dawn.com/news/392423/pakistan-tests-its-longest-range-missile). *Dawn*.

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