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| Fatah-IV Joins the Ranks: Pakistan Successfully Tests 750 km Cruise Missile | Dr. Tahir Mahmood |
Fatah-IV Joins the Ranks: Pakistan Successfully Tests 750 km Cruise Missile 🚀 🇵🇰
September 30, 2025
Pakistan has marked another significant milestone in its journey towards self-reliance and the modernization of its defense capabilities with the successful test firing of the Fatah-IV Ground Launched Cruise Missile (GLCM). This state-of-the-art weapon system, boasting a range of 750 kilometers, represents a quantum leap in the country's conventional standoff strike capabilities.
The successful test and subsequent induction into the Pakistan Army's Rocket Force Command underscore a strategic enhancement of the nation's multi-layered deterrence posture.
A Technological Edge: What Makes Fatah-IV Formidable?
The Fatah-IV is not just another missile; it is a testament to Pakistan's growing prowess in sophisticated weapons engineering. Its design philosophy is centered on survivability, precision, and lethality. Key features include:
- Advanced Avionics & Navigation: Equipped with a state-of-the-art navigation suite, the Fatah-IV can strike targets with pinpoint accuracy. This high degree of precision (CEP - Circular Error Probable - is expected to be exceptionally low) minimizes collateral damage and ensures mission success with a single strike.
- Terrain Hugging Capability: This is perhaps the missile's most crucial feature. The Fatah-IV is designed to fly at very low altitudes, "hugging" the contours of the earth. This flight path keeps it under the radar horizon of most conventional air defense systems, making detection and interception extremely difficult. By exploiting gaps in radar coverage, it can effectively evade even multi-layered enemy missile defense shields.
- Deep Strike Reach: With a range of 750 km, the Fatah-IV provides the Pakistan Army with the ability to hold high-value adversary targets at risk from well within its own territory. This "deep strike" capability is vital for disrupting enemy command and control centers, logistics hubs, and airbases without endangering pilots or expensive aircraft.
Strategic Implications: Enhancing Conventional Deterrence
The induction of the Fatah-IV into the newly established Army Rocket Force Command is a calculated move to bolster Pakistan's conventional military strength. This system is set to significantly enhance the reach, lethality, and survivability of the armed forces in several ways:
- Increased Reach: The Fatah-IV fills a critical gap between short-range tactical battlefield rockets and long-range strategic ballistic missiles. It provides corps and strategic-level commanders with a flexible and responsive option for conventional strikes at operational and strategic depths.
- Enhanced Lethality: The combination of a potent conventional warhead and high-precision guidance ensures that the Fatah-IV can effectively neutralize well-protected targets. This makes it a credible tool for achieving decisive military objectives.
- Improved Survivability: As a road-mobile system, the Fatah-IV's launch platforms can be easily dispersed and concealed, making them difficult for an adversary to locate and destroy pre-emptively. This, combined with the missile's own stealthy flight characteristics, guarantees a high probability of a successful strike.
Conclusion: A Step Towards a More Secure Future
The successful test and induction of the Fatah-IV Ground Launched Cruise Missile is a clear signal of Pakistan's commitment to maintaining a credible minimum deterrence. By developing and deploying indigenous, technologically advanced weapon systems, Pakistan not only strengthens its national security but also contributes to strategic stability in the region.
The Fatah-IV is more than just hardware; it is a symbol of strategic foresight, indigenous innovation, and the professional excellence of Pakistan's scientists, engineers, and armed forces. It ensures that Pakistan's defense remains robust, reliable, and ready to meet the challenges of the 21st-century security landscape.
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