India Defence: Pakistan’s Mystery Hypersonic Missile Test
Days after Pakistan conducted a self-proclaimed successful test launch of the indigenously developed extended version of the Fatah-IV ground-launched cruise missile, the Army Rocket Force announced conduct of Fatah-II extended range (ER) “hypersonic” ballistic missile on October 13.
Technical details of the two missiles were not released and of particular interest is the claim of the Fatah II estimated range of 400 kms being a hypersonic missile. As per the Army Release the weapon system is equipped with advanced navigation and state-of-the-art avionics. “It is capable of engaging targets with high precision and defeating the enemy’s missile defence systems due to its unique trajectory and manoeuvrability features,” the army said in a statement as per Indian media reports.
The release claimed that the Fatah-2 ER, with its extended range, will further enhance the army’s reach and capability of engaging deep targets.
With no speed, flight distance or terminal performance made available, the missile could fall into a symbolic official statement until there is independent evidence of development of hypersonic capability. In an analysis Defence Security Asia states that, “the description is an official classification rather than independently demonstrated evidence of a particular hypersonic flight regime”.
Technically speaking, if the missile is hypersonic as claimed it would be able to defeat Indian missile defence systems due to the speed and trajectory. Moreover, Fatah II is a terrain hugging cruise missile thus would be able to evade ground air defences.
A month earlier, the Army Rocket Force Command had also conducted the successful training launch of the Fateh-II missile system.
Pakistan Navy simultaneously fired a locally developed anti-ship ballistic missile to engage targets at an extended range. In September 2025, the Pakistan Army had also successfully conducted the training launch of the Fatah-IV cruise missile at a range of 750 kilometres.
Hypersonic Missiles
Hypersonic missiles are defined by a speed over Mach 5, or approximately 1.6 kilometers per second. When ballistic missiles re-enter the atmosphere at higher speed, but hypersonic boost-glide vehicles and cruise missiles (HGV, HCM) follow less predictable paths and are capable of a high degree of maneuverability before reaching their targets. These make attack warning and assessment more difficult for the defender, posing a challenge to existing air and missile defenses.
In 2024, Pakistan Air Force revealed the existence of a hypersonic missile capability, which Timothy Wright, a military analyst the International Institute for Strategic Studies think tank says, is likely the CM-400AKG, which the country acquired five years ago for its JF-17 Thunder jets. “The missile’s high speed might be achieved by the missile’s supposed flight trajectory, most of which takes place at high altitudes where it will encounter less drag, after which the missile descends toward its target,” he explained.
Migflug has assessed that the Fatah-2 ER announced on 13 October is an extended-range version of the Fatah-2 guided rocket with high speed but not a glider or an airbreather.
Rocket Force Command
The missile tests conducted simultaneously denote Pakistan’s attempt to activate the Army Rocket Force Command which was put into place in August last year after India’s success in targeting several Pakistani air bases during Operation Sindoor in May 2025.
On the contrary while Pakistan launched several drone and missile barrages during the operation these failed to make an impact on the Indian military bases or missile launch hubs despite a tall claim made of having destroyed a S 400 base in Adampur, Punjab [India]. Can Fatah II and IV increase the vulnerability of Indian military assets and what measures are being planned by the armed forces remains to be seen?
Overall, Rocket Force Command is an attempt to place a conventional step in the overall escalation ladder by Pakistan, yet the fluff over hypersonic missile capability may reduce the credibility of the message.
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