Iran has revealed its inaugural hypersonic missile, named Fattah, claiming that it possesses the ability to bypass missile defense systems and provide a military advantage. Images of the domestically manufactured black missile were published in state media on Tuesday, showcasing a ceremony attended by President Ebrahim Raisi and high-ranking commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
According to state media reports, the Fattah missile can travel at speeds of up to Mach 15 (5,145 meters or 16,880 feet per second), has a range of 1,400 kilometers (870 miles), and is equipped with a movable secondary nozzle. It utilizes solid propellants that offer enhanced maneuverability. The name “Fattah,” meaning “the opener,” was chosen by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Hypersonic missiles, which move at speeds five times faster than the speed of sound or greater, are highly maneuverable, making them challenging to intercept for defense systems and radar. Currently, the United States, Russia, China, and North Korea are believed to be the only countries to have successfully tested hypersonic missiles, although specific details about their capabilities remain limited.
The development of the hypersonic missile was announced last November by IRGC aerospace chief Amir Ali Hajizadeh during an event commemorating the anniversary of the death of Hassan Tehrani Moghaddam, known as the father of Iranian missile technology. Moghaddam died in a 2011 explosion at a missile base, which also claimed the lives of several other IRGC members. While the explosion was officially reported as an accident, some Western media outlets speculated that Israel may have been involved.
Hajizadeh described the new missile as a “generational leap” for Iranian missile technology, highlighting its ability to maneuver both within and outside the Earth’s atmosphere, thus penetrating any missile defense system. He emphasized that the Fattah’s unique movement patterns and varying altitudes make it impervious to destruction by other missiles.
Iran’s missile program has drawn concerns from the West and Israel, who assert that the country’s ballistic missiles could potentially carry nuclear warheads, an allegation Tehran denies. Last month, the IRGC successfully tested a new ballistic missile with a range of 2,000 kilometers (1,240 miles), prompting further criticism from Western nations. France, in particular, claimed that the test violated a United Nations resolution related to the 2015 nuclear agreement with world powers, which is currently dormant.
