Munitions

H-4 Stand-Off Weapon

Also known as
  • H-4 SOW
  • H-4 glide bomb

The H-4 Stand-Off Weapon is Pakistan's 120 km-class, rocket-boosted glide bomb, developed by NESCOM from Denel's Raptor II family for Mirage III/5 strike aircraft. Quwa and Dawn place it in Pakistan Air Force service by 2003, and later reporting tied the munition to the 27 February 2019 border skirmish.

H-4 Stand-Off Weapon, Precision-guided glide bomb, Munitions
Image source: Wikimedia Commons: Umbani at TFDC 2012

Role in Conflicts

2019 India-Pakistan Border Skirmishes
Side
Pakistan
Role in conflict
Precision-guided stand-off strike bomb

Used by Pakistan Air Force during the 2019 India-Pakistan Border Skirmishes; ThePrint reported H-4 glide bombs fired by PAF fighters on 27 February 2019 near the LoC.

Design Notes

Quwa described the H-4 as the longer-range member of Pakistan's H-2/H-4 stand-off bomb family, with a rocket booster and Mirage III/5 carriage.

TopicDetailSource
LineageThe family was described as a Pakistan-built derivative of Denel's Raptor II line.Quwa: Pakistan's Force Multipliers (Part 2): Precision-guided bombs
Range driverQuwa credited the H-4 with a 120 km reach and a rocket-booster assisted glide profile.Quwa: Pakistan's Force Multipliers (Part 2): Precision-guided bombs
CarrierThe same source said the H-2/H-4 family was deployed from Mirage III/5 fighter-bombers.Quwa: Pakistan's Force Multipliers (Part 2): Precision-guided bombs
Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
Pakistan
Type
Precision-guided glide bomb
Service note
2000s-present
Designer
NESCOM; reported Denel Raptor II lineage
Designed
Early 2000s
Unit cost
Not public
Produced
2003-present
Number built
Not public
Developed from
Denel Dynamics Raptor II

Specifications

Warhead
1,000 kg class
Range
Up to 120 km
Guidance
Electro-optical (TV) guidance; INS reported
Launch platform
Dassault Mirage III/5 fighter-bomber aircraft
Propulsion
Rocket booster-assisted glide bomb
Variants
  • H-2 Stand-Off Weapon
Launch Aircraft

Quwa described the H-2/H-4 family as a Mirage III/5 fighter-bomber store.

CarrierCarrier typeCarriage evidence
Dassault Mirage III/5, Single-engine delta-wing multirole fighter family, Aircraft & UAVsDassault Mirage III/5Strike aircraft

Quwa said the H-2 and H-4 are currently deployed from Pakistan Air Force Dassault Mirage III/5 fighter-bomber aircraft.

Sources: Quwa: Pakistan's Force Multipliers (Part 2): Precision-guided bombs

Timeline

H-4 Stand-Off Weapon Key Events

  1. Reported PAF induction

    Dawn reported that the Pakistan Air Force had added the H-4 to its arsenal by 2003.

    Sources: Dawn: PAF adds new bombs to its arsenal

  2. Border-skirmish use

    ThePrint reported H-4 glide bombs fired by Pakistan Air Force fighters on 27 February 2019 near the Line of Control.

    Sources: ThePrint: Three live bombs fired by Pakistani fighter aircraft are still lying at LoC

Media

H-4 Stand-Off Weapon Images

H-4 Stand-Off Weapon, Precision-guided glide bomb, Munitions - view 1
Source: Wikimedia Commons: PAF Dassault Mirage-IIIEP ISAC-1974
Related Weapon Systems
GIDS REK / Takbir, Range-extension guided glide bomb kit, MunitionsMunitionsGIDS REK / TakbirRange-extension guided glide bomb kitGIDS REK / Takbir is a Pakistani range-extension kit family that turns general-purpose steel bombs into GPS/GNSS-aided stand-off glide weapons. GIDS presents Takbir with a tail guidance unit, deployable wing unit, 100 km class range, and MIL-STD-1760 interface, while Qaswa and Quwa sources place the newer AZB/REK line across Mk 80-series bomb bodies and tie the Mk 83-class configuration to JF-17 strike reporting from Operation Swift Retort.

Sources

Dawn: PAF adds new bombs to its arsenalPublisher: Dawn | Note: Supports the H-4's 2003 induction, NESCOM manufacturing context, Mirage carriage, and reported 120 km range. | Accessed: 2026-06-21Quwa: Pakistan's Force Multipliers (Part 2): Precision-guided bombsPublisher: Quwa | Note: Supports the H-2/H-4 family lineage, 60 km and 120 km ranges, rocket-booster range extension, 600 kg warheads, EO guidance, and Mirage III/5 deployment. | Accessed: 2026-06-21ThePrint: Three live bombs fired by Pakistani fighter aircraft are still lying at LoCPublisher: ThePrint | Note: Supports the 2019 India-Pakistan Border Skirmishes; ThePrint reported H-4 glide bombs fired by Pakistan Air Force fighters on 27 February 2019 near the LoC. | Accessed: 2026-06-21Tribune: Indian Army admits presence of senior commanders at HQ bombed by PAFPublisher: The Express Tribune | Note: Supports the 2019 India-Pakistan Border Skirmishes; Tribune reported Pakistan Air Force aircraft dropped reportedly local-manufactured H-4 Stand-Off Weapon munitions on an Indian Army brigade HQ compound. | Accessed: 2026-06-21Wikimedia Commons: PAF Dassault Mirage-IIIEP ISAC-1974Publisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Public-domain image provenance for a Pakistan Air Force Mirage III-family aircraft used here as a launch-platform family representative. | Accessed: 2026-06-26Wikimedia Commons: Umbani at TFDC 2012Publisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Open-license image provenance for a Denel Dynamics Umbani glide-bomb photo used here as a related stand-off weapon family representative. | Accessed: 2026-06-21