Pakistan fired its ballistic missile Fatah-II, an improved version of the Fatah-I system with better range and accuracy, in response to India reportedly attacking the Nur Khan base in Rawalpindi, the Murid base in Chakwal, and the Rafiqui base in Jhang district of Punjab province on the midnight of May 9-10 as the cross-border tensions between the two nations escalated. Pakistan reportedly responded with the Fatah-II missile, strategically targeting New Delhi, but was successfully intercepted by the Indian defence system in Haryana's Sirsa.
What is a ballistic missile?
In basic terms, a ballistic missile is a missile which uses projectile motion (something which moves in the air when launched, under the influence of gravity, with air resistance neglected) to hit the target. Most of the flight of these missiles are unpowered, as the weapons are powered only for short periods. There are two types of ballistic missiles - Short-range (SRBM), typically used during wars and satellites within the Earth's atmosphere while the larger ones have the capability to travel outside it. ICBM (intercontinental ballistic missile) are the ballistic missiles with the greatest range, capable of full orbital flight.
Types of ballistic missiles
- Tactical ballistic missile (TBM): Range less than 300 km
- Short-range ballistic missile (SRBM): Range from 300 to 1,000 kilometres (190 to 620 mi)
- Medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM): Range from 1,000 to 3,500 kilometres (620 to 2,170 mi)
- Intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM): Range from 3,500 to 5,500 kilometres (2,200 to 3,400 mi)
- Intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM): Range greater than 5,500 kilometres (3,400 mi)
What is Fatah-II capable of?
Fatah-II probably falls in the SRBM category with a range of 250-400 km. Typically made for use during war and geopolitical situations to target enemy bases, Fatah-II, a guided artillery rocket system, was developed by the Pakistan Army, which was officially tested in 2021. Like every ballistic missile, Fatah-II combines the basic features of striking military positions and installations with conventional warheads with additional features of terminal guidance system that helps it adjust its path if need be as well as using inertial navigation along with satellite guidance of mid-course correction, in case of the enemy being alerted of its potential arrival. However, India's defence system was able to trace its path and the timely interception meant that there was no harm.
