Pakistan has carried out back-to-back missile tests in less than a week, launching the extended-range Fatah-2 ballistic missile on Tuesday, just days after testing an upgraded version of its Fatah-4 ground-launched cruise missile.
The latest test involved the Fatah-2 Extended Range (ER), which has been described as a hypersonic ballistic missile capable of striking long-range targets with high precision.
The successive tests come as Pakistan seeks to enhance the range, accuracy and effectiveness of its missile systems, particularly their ability to engage targets at extended distances, say media reports.
According to the Pakistan Army, the Fatah-2 ER is equipped with advanced navigation systems 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 statement read.
The army added that the missile's extended range would further strengthen its ability to strike targets deep inside enemy territory.
The test launch was witnessed by the Commander of the Army Rocket Force Command, senior Pakistan Army officers, scientists and engineers.
President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces Asim Munir, and the services chiefs congratulated the scientists and engineers involved in the successful launch.
Tuesday's Fatah-2 ER test followed the launch of an extended-range version of the Fatah-4 ground-launched cruise missile last week.
Announcing that test, ISPR (Inter-Services Public Relations), the media and public relations wing of the Pakistan Armed Forces, had said the Fatah-4 was equipped with advanced avionics and modern navigational aids designed to improve its ability to engage distant targets accurately.
"Equipped with advanced avionics and state-of-the-art navigational aids, the weapon system is capable of engaging targets at extended ranges with high precision and lethality," the ISPR had said.
The latest launches highlight Pakistan's continued testing of extended-range missile systems, focusing on greater reach and precision-strike capabilities.
