H-4 SOW

The H-4 SOW (Stand-Off Weapon) is a precision-guided glide bomb manufactured by NESCOM and deployed by the Pakistan Air Force, capable of striking targets at stand-off range. It has a terminal guidance system based on an infrared homing seeker, which identifies the target during the final stage of flight. Designed to hit targets out to 120 km, the bomb may have the capability to evade radar.^[2]

H-4
Type	Precision-guided glide bomb
Place of origin	Pakistan
Service history
In service	2003–present^[1]^[2]
Used by	Pakistan Air Force
Wars	2019 India–Pakistan border skirmishes Operation Swift Retort^[3]
Production history
Manufacturer	NESCOM
Specifications
Warhead	High explosives
Engine	Solid propellant booster (rocketry)
Operational range	120 km
Guidance system	Electro-optical (infrared homing)
Launch platform	Dassault Mirage-III: ROSE Variants Dassault Mirage-V: ROSE Variants PAC JF-17 Thunder

Design & Development

According to Pakistani press reports, the H-4 glide bomb was created by Pakistan's National Engineering and Scientific Commission (NESCOM), working in collaboration with the Pakistan Missile Organisation and Air Weapons Complex in Pakistan. A lighter version of the H-4 has also been produced, the H-2 SOW, which has a stated range of 60 km.

Three successful tests were conducted, the last one in 2003, which led to field deployment on the Dassault Mirage III and Mirage V strike fighters of the Pakistan Air Force. It has also been stated that the H-4 will be integrated with the PAF's new multi-role combat aircraft, the JF-17, which is replacing the ageing fleet of Mirage III and Dassault Mirage 5 aircraft. All Pakistani JF-17 fighters, from the initial JF-17 Block 1 model to the final Block 3 version, will be capable of launching the H-4.^[4]

The H-4's stated range of 120 km and its glide bomb design has led to speculation that it may be a Pakistani variant of the Denel Raptor II glide bomb, which is also guided by an infrared homing seeker and has a range of 120 km.^[2][5][6]

Operational history

On 27 February 2019, 2 Pakistani Dassault Mirage-VPAs armed with H-4 SOW bombs and 2 Dassault Mirage-IIIDAs for guidance via data link carried out airstrikes in Indian Administered Kashmir targeting Indian Army brigade headquarters and forward support depots. The planes were able to lock onto the targets, however at the last moment, Pakistani Weapon system Officers took their cursor off them. This was confirmed by in-cockpit videos released by the PAF's operations directorate for the 6 September telecast which showed that the Airforce deliberately did not target the Indian Military sites despite having them in clear sight.^{[7][8][9][10]}

Later in April 2019, Indian media reported that a Bomb disposal unit carried out a bomb defusal operation in Mendhar and Rajouri, where they had successfully defused 3-4 unexploded H-4 SOW bombs.^[11][12]

Operators

•   Pakistan: Pakistan Air force

See also

• H-2 SOW: Lighter Variant of the H-4.
• GBU-53/B
• AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon

References

1. Sharif, Arshad (18 December 2003). "PAF adds new bombs to its arsenal". Dawn. Pakistan. Retrieved 5 September 2013.
2. Fisher, Jr., Richard (29 October 2004). . International Assessment and Strategy Center (IASC). Archived from the original on 5 July 2014. Retrieved 26 June 2009.
3. "Operation Swift Retort one year on".
4. Ansari, Usman (7 February 2013). "Despite Missile Integration, Nuke Role Unlikely for Pakistan's JF-17". Defense News. Archived from the original on 9 July 2013. Retrieved 5 September 2013.
5. Ansari, Usman. . Archived from the original on 17 July 2011.
6. "Profile: Denel Dynamics Raptor Stand-Off Weapon". Retrieved 3 December 2019. It is believed that the Raptor I and Raptor II are being manufactured under license in Pakistan by the National Engineering and Scientific Commission (NESCOM) as the H-2 and H-4, respectively.
7. "'India's February Miscalculation and Future of Indo-Pak Aerial Front". Centre for Aerospace and Security Studies.
8. Kaiser Tufail (18 February 2021). "Pulwama: Two years on". PakistanPolitico.com.
9. Kaiser Tufail (10 July 2019). "Pulwama-From bluster to whimper". DefenceJournal.com.
10. Alan Warnes. "Operation Swift Retort one year on". KeyMilitary.com.
11. Philip, Snehesh Alex (2 April 2019). "Three live bombs fired by Pakistani fighter aircraft are still lying at LoC".
12. "Pakistani bombs fell in Indian army compounds, didn't cause damage, say armed forces". Scroll.in.

External links

• Dawn – a Pakistani newspaper article on H-4
• The Tribune – an Indian newspaper article on H-4
• Aeronaut