On October 6, Pakistan examined an prolonged vary (ER) model of the Fatah-IV ground-launched cruise missile. This was the third launch of the Fatah-IV missile system, the final having been performed in Could 2026. The most recent check is exclusive in comparison with the primary two, as a result of this time the missile had a reported vary of greater than 750 kilometers.
The Fatah-IV is a byproduct of the 2025 India-Pakistan clashes. The missile was first unveiled publicly throughout Pakistan’s Independence Day occasion on August 14, 2025. It options terrain-hugging flight functionality supposed to cut back radar detection, has a most velocity of Mach 0.7, and carries a 330 kilogram blast-fragmentation explosive warhead.
The ER model seems to have wings positioned on the underbelly, not within the middle of the missile physique, as was the case in its earlier model. The ER missile additionally seems barely bigger to retailer extra gas, permitting it to cowl an extended distance than its reported 750 km vary. Primarily based on obtainable imagery, the Fatah-IV ER might have a spread of round 1,000 km.
What are the important thing rationales behind Pakistan testing the ER model of Fatah-IV? There appear to be fairly a lot of prospects. First, Pakistan is probably going seeking to counter the Indian Air Pressure’s (IAF) future technique of launching air-launched missiles from standoff ranges. It stays a robust risk that the IAF will transfer its belongings to rear bases within the subsequent encounter with the Pakistan Air Pressure (PAF) as a result of the IAF doesn’t need to repeat what occurred on the night time of Could 6-7, 2025, when it misplaced a number of jets in air-to-air engagement with the PAF. Subsequently, the IAF will doubtless launch payloads from a distance past the vary of each PAF air-to-air missiles and Pakistan’s long-range land-based missile defenses.
The IAF will have the ability to conduct such strikes sooner or later as a result of the Indian authorities has already sanctioned a rise in vary of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile, with experiences estimating the brand new vary to be round 800 km. This posed a severe problem to Pakistan as a result of the Taimoor air-launched cruise missile and different typical programs obtainable within the nation’s arsenal remained insufficient to threaten IAF installations positioned deep inside mainland India. The ER Fatah-IV will fill this hole by enabling Pakistan to strike radars and the fighter jet fleet of the IAF deployed at bases far-off from Pakistan’s border.
Second, India’s key metropolitan cities and industrial hubs are positioned in southern and central India, far-off from Pakistan’s border. Against this, Pakistan’s main city hubs are all positioned comparatively near India. This beforehand offered New Delhi a bonus over Islamabad, as India might goal Pakistan’s industrial hubs with typical munitions. Nevertheless, with the introduction of the Fatah-IV, India’s fundamental enterprise metropolis, Mumbai, any more will come inside vary of Pakistan’s typical strike drive, thus posing a reputable risk to the Indian enterprise capital.
The ER Fatah-IV will enable Islamabad to dissuade India from launching typical counter-value strikes towards Pakistan’s key cities as a result of New Delhi’s personal central industrial hub will be focused in the same method. India is prone to stay dissuaded from approaching such a path in a restricted confrontation with Pakistan as a result of missiles hanging Mumbai won’t solely create detrimental worldwide headlines but additionally injury the morale of the folks and buyers in India.
Third, within the post-Operation Sindoor period, the Indian navy ordered extra air protection programs together with the S-400, examined new ones just like the Kusha long-range interceptor, and introduced the combination of all of them underneath the aegis of Mission Sudarshan Chakra to formulate an impenetrable missile protection protect. To penetrate such a protect and strike targets at longer vary, Pakistan will want programs to keep away from radar detection. The Fatah-IV fulfills this requirement, thus posing a reputable risk to Indian navy installations and dissuading New Delhi from ordering pre-emptive navy strikes towards Pakistan.
Pakistan’s official coverage eschews any arms race. The last word goal behind the event of the ER Fatah-IV is to strengthen Pakistan’s typical deterrence vis-à-vis India. The event of the Fatah-IV didn’t happen in a vacuum; it turned a compulsion after India launched “unprovoked” assaults towards a number of places inside Pakistan in Could final 12 months. The episode was the turning level for Pakistan. It led to the introduction of the conventionally armed Fatah-IV cruise missile as a result of Islamabad needs to additional reinforce its typical counterforce strike capabilities.
The event of 1 system doesn’t assure deterrence; nevertheless, the intent and posturing matter. By introducing the Fatah-IV and constantly creating it, Islamabad is signaling to New Delhi that the outdated days are gone now. Indian navy installations positioned deep contained in the nation are now not secure from Pakistan’s typical missile drive.
The ER Fatah-IV exists to guard Pakistan’s nationwide safety at a time when India believes that territorial victory stays the final word objective in fashionable battle, as evident from the latest assertion of India’s military chief Normal Dhiraj Seth. Within the presence of such a belligerent mindset of the adversary, it turns into a compulsion for the opposite aspect to take applicable defensive measures. The Fatah-IV is one such measure taken by Pakistan to spice up the nation’s protection and to guard its territorial sovereignty.