Fatah-IV Missile: Has Pakistan developed its own BrahMos, could it outwit S-400?

After suffering a crushing defeat at the hands of India in Operation Sindoor, Pakistan has now claimed to have developed a missile similar to the Indian BrahMos. The Pakistani Army announced on Tuesday that it had successfully tested the long-range cruise missile, the Fatah-4. The Army claims that this missile will strengthen the country's conventional missile capability.

 

According to ISPR, the Fatah-4 is a surface-to-surface missile with a range of 750 kilometres (470 miles). It is said to be equipped with advanced avionics and modern navigation systems, giving it the ability to fly at low altitudes to evade enemy radar. The missile, ISPR added, can strike targets with high precision.

 

The Pakistani Army did not reveal where the test launch took place. India’s BrahMos missile, considered one of the fastest and most advanced in the region, has a reported range of 800 kilometres.

The military said the Fatah-4 would 'enhance the range, lethality and survivability' of Pakistan’s conventional missile capability. Some Pakistani media outlets have gone further, reporting that the missile could potentially penetrate advanced Indian defence systems such as the Russian-made S-400.

 

The ISPR also described the test as a landmark moment for the recently created Army Rocket Force Command, highlighting that the new missile would strengthen Pakistan’s long-range strike options.

President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, and the heads of the three armed forces congratulated scientists and engineers involved in the project.

 

President Zardari hailed the test as a “milestone” in Pakistan’s defence programme, adding that it demonstrated the country’s “scientific self-reliance.” He declared, “Pakistan’s defence was and remains impenetrable.”

India and Pakistan, both nuclear powers, have fought three wars since independence in 1947 and frequently test missiles with each other in mind. Defence analysts say Pakistan’s claim of achieving a four-metre accuracy represents a significant step forward in its missile programme.