Pakistan on Tuesday successfully test-fired an indigenously developed extended version of the Fatah-4 ground-launched cruise missile capable of engaging long-range targets with high precision, the army said.
"Equipped with advanced avionics and state-of-the-art navigational aids, the weapon system is capable of engaging targets at extended ranges with high precision and lethality," it said. The test validated additional technical parameters of various sub-systems incorporated for improved accuracy and enhanced survivability, the army said. The launch was witnessed by senior officers from the Pakistan Army along with scientists and engineers of the developing agency, it added.
President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Chief of Army Staff & Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir and services chiefs commended the successful test launch of the missile. In May, Pakistan had conducted the successful test fire of the Fatah-IV ground-launched cruise missile.
Why is it concerning for India?
The test is significant for India from a military-planning perspective, particularly because Pakistan says the new Fatah-4 variant has greater range, improved accuracy and enhanced survivability. However, the exact extended range has not been publicly disclosed, so its precise impact should not be overstated.
1. Longer reach: The earlier Fatah-4 was publicly reported with a 750-km range. Pakistan has now tested an extended-range version, but has not said how much additional range it has gained. That potentially expands the number of targets that could be held at risk.
2. Low-altitude flight is the bigger issue: Fatah-4 is described as a terrain-hugging cruise missile. Flying at low altitude can make detection and interception more difficult than dealing with a conventional high-altitude ballistic trajectory. Pakistan itself has highlighted the missile's ability to evade missile defences through terrain-hugging flight.
3. Accuracy and survivability: The latest test specifically validated subsystems intended to improve accuracy and survivability. Combined with advanced avionics and navigation systems, this suggests Pakistan is working toward a more capable conventional precision-strike weapon rather than simply increasing missile range.
(With inputs from agency)
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