Pakistan Tests Extended-Range Fatah-IV Cruise Missile, ISPR Confirms
Pakistan Tests Extended-Range Fatah-IV Cruise Missile, ISPR Confirms
Pakistan on Tuesday successfully test-fired the extended-range Fatah-IV cruise missile, the military’s media wing said, putting the indigenously developed ground-launched weapon through a launch that validated its precision at long range.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said the weapon system carries advanced avionics and modern navigational aids, and can strike targets at extended ranges with high precision and lethality. The test also checked technical parameters of several sub-systems built for better accuracy and survivability.
Senior officers of the Pakistan Army watched the launch alongside scientists and engineers of the developing agency, the ISPR added.
Leadership hails the Fatah-IV cruise missile test
President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, and the services chiefs all commended the successful launch. They praised the technical skill and dedication of the troops, scientists and engineers behind the programme.
A statement from the President’s Secretariat called the test a milestone for the country’s defence, describing the indigenously developed missile as proof of Pakistan’s scientific self-reliance. It added that the Fatah-IV would further strengthen national defence capabilities, and that the nation was proud of the hard work of its scientists and engineers.
What the Fatah-IV can do
The Fatah-IV has been developed by the National Engineering and Scientific Commission (NESCOM) and Global Industrial and Defence Solutions (GIDS). Its published specifications put it among the most capable conventional weapons in the Army’s arsenal:
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Range | 750 kilometres |
| Weight | About 1,530 kilograms |
| Length | Around 7.5 metres |
| Diameter | 0.5 metres |
| Speed | Mach 0.7 |
| Flight altitude | As low as 50 metres |
| Warhead | 330kg blast-fragmentation |
| Accuracy (CEP) | 5 metres |
The missile flies low, hugging the terrain to stay below radar coverage, which makes it harder for enemy air defences to detect and intercept. Guidance comes from a GPS/GNSS-aided inertial navigation system with Digital Scene Matching Area Correlator (DSMAC) technology.
Part of the Army Rocket Force Command
The Fatah-IV now serves with the Army Rocket Force Command, the military’s newest arm, which is tasked with building a long-range conventional strike capability. The ISPR said the weapon would improve the reach, lethality and survivability of the Army’s conventional missile systems.
The missile has a naval derivative, the Harbah NG anti-ship cruise missile, built on the same platform. The Fatah-IV became operational after a training fire conducted by the Army Rocket Force Command in May this year, and Tuesday’s launch was a further validation of the extended-range version.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Fatah-IV cruise missile?
The Fatah-IV is an indigenously developed ground-launched cruise missile with a range of 750 kilometres. It is built by NESCOM and GIDS and serves with the Pakistan Army’s Rocket Force Command.
How accurate is the Fatah-IV?
According to published specifications, the missile has a circular error probable (CEP) of 5 metres, meaning half of all strikes land within 5 metres of the aim point. It uses GPS/GNSS-aided inertial navigation with DSMAC technology.
When was the Fatah-IV tested?
The extended-range version was test-fired on Tuesday, October 6, 2026. An earlier training fire of the Fatah-IV was conducted by the Army Rocket Force Command in May 2026.
