Key points
- Boosts Pakistan’s conventional missile capabilities
- Centralises control of long-range artillery
- Enables faster, non-nuclear strike options
ISLAMABAD: On the eve of Pakistan’s 78th Independence Day, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced the creation of a new military formation within the Pakistan Army: the Pakistan Army Rocket Force Command.
Described as a major step forward in national defence, the command will be equipped with modern technology and is intended to enhance the country’s conventional military capabilities, according to a BBC Urdu report.
Defence experts argue that weapons like the Fatah-I and Fatah-II missiles proved decisive during the recent escalation with India, prompting military planners to consider a more structured and independent command for conventional missile operations.
Military and security sources told the BBC that the Rocket Force Command is not a new fighting unit, but rather a centralised command and control system. Its purpose is to organise, coordinate, and operationalise Pakistan’s existing long-range conventional artillery more effectively during wartime.
Focus on conventional missile warfare
Expert on security issues Muhammad Ali emphasised that this new command will differ from both the traditional artillery and the Strategic Command Force, which handles Pakistan’s nuclear-capable arsenal. The Rocket Force will focus solely on conventional missile warfare, allowing for powerful, non-nuclear strikes in a fast-paced conflict scenario.
With the new command, such missile systems will now be managed under a more agile and integrated structure, enabling quicker decision-making in combat.
Observers also note that the Rocket Force Command mirrors similar developments in other regional militaries, particularly China’s PLA Rocket Force and India’s Integrated Rocket Force, established to carry out rapid, precise, and cost-effective strikes without relying on air power, according to the BBC Urdu report.
As Pakistan positions itself for future conventional conflicts, the creation of the Rocket Force Command signals a strategic shift towards more lethal, mobile, and technologically integrated ground-based missile capabilities.
