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Sonmiani is a
coastal town in the
southeast of
Balochistan province
in Pakistan,
approximately 45
kilometres northwest
of Karachi. The area
hosts a 2 square
kilometre flight
test range for
sounding rockets at
25°12′N 66°45′E that
has been operated
since 1962 by the
Space and Upper
Atmosphere Research
Commission
(SUPARCO). It is
also used by the
Pakistan Atomic
Energy Commission's
National Defence
Complex to test
solid-fueled
ballistic missiles
such as the short-
and medium-range
Hatf-III/Ghaznavi
(M-11) and Hatf
IV/Shaheen-I
(possibly M-9)
missiles.
The FTR was expanded
and modernized in
the 1990s and its
facilities include
rocket launchers,
rocket assembly
workshop, payload
assembly area,
high-speed tracking
radars, control
room, telemetry
station, flight
communications
equipment, optical
cameras, and
maintenance
workshop. |
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