Pakistan Successfully Launches Nuclear Capable Missile - East Idaho News
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Pakistan Successfully Launches Nuclear Capable Missile

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GETTY W 041612 PakistanMap?  SQUARESPACE CACHEVERSION=1335352411118iStockphoto/Thinkstock(ISLAMABAD) — Raising the stakes in the region’s nuclear rivalry, Pakistan’s military announced on Wednesday it has successfully launched a new missile.

The Hatf IV Shaheen-1A, an intermediate range ballistic missile, was launched into the sea Wednesday morning.  It’s believed to have a range of more than 3,000 kilometers and “is capable of carrying nuclear and conventional warheads,” according to Pakistan’s military. 

The new missile is an upgrade from a previous version, which could only travel up to 2,000 kilometers.  The Shaheen-1A’s longer range allows it to strike anywhere in India and well into China and the Far East.

Wednesday’s launch comes days after India conducted its own missile test.  The two nuclear rivals have gone to war three times since they were granted independence in 1948.

Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio

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