11 hours ago
Israel-Iran war: Did Iran get deadly Fattah-1 hypersonic missiles from Pakistan or China? Experts make big claim, say Iran's hypersonic technology is…
Iran's Fattah-1 hypersonic missile can reach speeds of up to Mach 15. (15 times the speed of sound).
Israel-Iran war: Iran has fired more than 400 missiles at Israel in 12 waves of retaliatory strikes since Israel-Iran war erupted last week, and interestingly, the quality of Iranian missiles launched towards the Jewish state has improved with each wave, with the latest strikes consisting of the Fattah-1 hypersonic missile, and the Sejjil-2 solid-fueled two-stage ballistic missiles. Did Pakistan or China provide Iran with the Fattah-1 hypersonic missile?
Notably, soon after Iran's Fattah-I hypersonic missiles struck Israel, rumors began circulating on social media that Tehran may have acquired the advanced missile from one of its allies, China, Pakistan, Russia, or even Pakistan. However, defense experts have shut down these rumors, stating that Iran's hypersonic technology is completely indigenous, and there is no evidence that the Fattah-1 missile was 'obtained' from any foreign country.
They said that the Fattah-1 is a domestically-developed hypersonic missile system, designed and manufactured by Iran's state-owned Defense Industries Organization (DIO), as part of its missile research and development program. The DIO works under the IRGC Aerospace Force, the IRGC's aerial unit. Why many believed Iran's Fattah-1 missile was 'acquired' from Pakistan?
The rumor stems from similar-sounding weapons systems of Pakistan and Iran, that share somewhat similar names but are completely different platforms. The Iranian Fattah-1 is a state-of-the-art hypersonic missile system, while Pakistan has Fatah-1, a rocket artillery system designed for short-range bombardment.
Though the names sound same, both are completely different military technologies, with vastly different purposes, range, and capability. Additionally, Pakistan has not developed any hypersonic technology so far, with Iran being only the fourth nation after India, China, and Russia, to develop the capability.
A few experts believe that Iran may received technical know-how or indirect help from China or North Korea, but there is no concrete for the claim. How powerful is Iran's Fattah-I hypersonic missile?
The Fattah-I, a precision-guided, two-stage hypersonic ballistic missile, is the most advanced missile fired by Iran so far. The Fattah missile is powered by solid fuel, and has a movable nozzle for advanced maneuverability. The hypersonic missile, first unveiled by Iran in 2023, has a range of 1,400 km, and is capable of operating inside and beyond the Earth's atmosphere, reaching speeds of up to Mach 15, according to reports.
Hypersonic missiles are much more difficult for air defenses to intercept, because of their ability to maneuver mid-flight while flying over Mach 5 speeds. According to the IRGC, almost all of its ballistic missiles briefly reach hypersonic speed when they dive toward a target.
As per reports, the Fattah-1 missile is activated using a spherical propellant and can change course in all directions during flight, making detection and interception almost impossible.
Iran is only the fourth country after India, China, and Russia to have successfully produced a hypersonic missile.
