Pakistan tests extended-range Fatah-2 missile in second Fatah-series launch this month
Digitally enhanced screenshot from an ISPR video showing the Fatah-2 missile during its test-firing.
New Delhi: The Pakistani army on Tuesday test-fired an extended-range version of its Fatah-2 missile, with the military highlighting its precision-strike capabilities and potential to challenge enemy missile defence systems. The launch follows another recent test involving Pakistan’s Fatah-4 cruise missile.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military’s media wing, said the Fatah-2 extended-range (ER) variant features advanced navigation systems and avionics, Dawn reported. The military said its trajectory and manoeuvrability are intended to improve its ability to penetrate enemy defences, but did not release detailed performance data.
The launch was attended by senior army officers, scientists and engineers involved in the programme, according to ISPR. The Pakistan president, Asif Ali Zardari; prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif; army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, and the services chiefs congratulated the personnel involved, while Pakistani interior minister, Mohsin Naqvi, also welcomed the test in a post on X.
Pakistan tested an extended-range version of its Fatah-4 ground-launched cruise missile earlier this week, in another step in the development of its conventional precision-strike arsenal. RNA Media had earlier reported on the Fatah4 test.
What is the Fatah-2 missile?
The Fatah-2 is a Pakistani surface-to-surface missile system designed to strike ground targets at extended distances. Pakistan’s military has highlighted its navigation, manoeuvrability and precision-strike capabilities as key features of the system.
According to defence publication Quwa, the baseline Fatah-2 has a reported range of around 400 kilometres, a 365kg warhead and a length of approximately 7.5 metres. These figures relate to the existing system and should not be treated as confirmed specifications of the newly tested extended-range variant.
The missile’s navigation system and ability to adjust its flight path are intended to improve targeting accuracy and complicate interception. However, the maximum range, warhead specifications, flight speed and other technical details of the Fatah-2 ER remain undisclosed.
