It said the missile had been successfully tested but did not reveal the location of the test.

The successful test was announced as Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf began a five-day state visit to China, the Anadolu News Agency reported from Islamabad.

Pakistan previously tested the Hatf II in March 2005, when it announced the missile's range was a slightly shorter 108 miles.

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Lockheed Martin Gets $5.4M Boost For VLS Program Washington (UPI) Feb 21 - Lockheed Martin announced Monday that it had received a $5.4 million modification to an existing contract from the U.S. Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) to continue providing technical and engineering support services for the MK 41 Vertical Launch System (VLS) program.

The modification provides $4.4 million for Lockheed Martin to perform VLS Baseline VII design engineering support to the MK 41, the company said. The work includes VLS tactical software updates, auto-test equipment maintenance, and other engineering support for Baseline VII that will be performed at Lockheed Martin's Baltimore facility, it said. In addition, $1 million goes to support the VLS Depot at the company's Life Cycle Support facility in Ventura, Calif.

"This funding enables our industry partner, Lockheed Martin, to continue MK 41 VLS product improvement initiatives and maintenance activities in support of our nation's war fighters," said Toan Nguyen, Surface Launching Systems Project Manager for the U.S. Navy's Program Executive Office, Integrated Warfare Systems.

"The most widely used vertical missile launcher in the fleet, the MK 41 is a high-performance, survivable and versatile system that requires minimal manning and training, and is integral to the United States' sea-based ballistic missile defense program. Our open architecture design also enables us to continually upgrade the MK 41 and meet current and future threats to our nation's security," said Dave Broadbent, vice president and general manager of Lockheed Martin's Littoral Ships & Systems line of business.

The MK 41 VLS is a below deck missile launching system developed by Lockheed Martin for the U.S. Navy's Aegis-equipped guided missile cruisers to provide air threat protection for naval battle groups. The launcher's capabilities have been continually enhanced through a series of product improvement initiatives with the latest, VLS Baseline VII, being fielded in 2004, the company said.

Through its evolution into a multi-missile, multi-mission launcher, the MK 41 has revolutionized the way world navies think about sea-launched weapons, Lockheed Martin said. It said that no other naval missile launcher is capable of launching missiles for every threat in naval warfare, including anti-air, anti-submarine, ship self-defense, land attack and ballistic missile defense. More than 11,000 MK 41 VLS missile cells have been delivered or are on order for 178 ships in 11 navies around the world.

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