RAWALPINDI(National Times)- Pakistan on Tuesday performed a successful flight test of the country’s first indigenously developed air-to-air missile, Fa’az, “marking another significant milestone in the advancement of national aerospace and defence capabilities”, the military’s media wing said.

According to a statement by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the missile is equipped with a state-of-the-art terminal guidance system and can engage enemy targets at longer ranges.

“Fa’az will significantly enhance [the] operational flexibility of [the] Pakistan Air Force, further strengthening the country’s overall defence posture. The successful flight test underscores the technical maturity, innovation and self-reliance achieved by Pakistan’s defence industry,” the statement added.

The launch was witnessed by senior military officers, scientists and engineers involved in the development of the system, the ISPR said.

It added that President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir and the service chiefs congratulated the scientists.