Understanding Pakistan’s Rationale for the Fatah-II Rocket

Pakistan unveiled its new guided multiple-launch rocket system (G-MLRS), Fatah-II, on December 27. The Fatah-II is a successor to Fatah-I and a brand new entry into Pakistan’s standard strike bundle. It’s distinct from its predecessor due to its lengthy vary and enhanced precision. 

The rocket is meant to diversify the standard concentrating on choices for Pakistan by enabling it to conduct precision strikes deep into Indian territory towards a wide range of targets with numerous sorts of standard warheads. Fatah-II’s improvement occurred in response to the Indian restricted battle doctrine and is supposed to make sure Pakistan’s functionality of retaliating with surgical precision.

Fatah-II shouldn’t be a brand new system however an addition to the prevailing G-MLRS membership worldwide. Examples embody america’ M142 Excessive Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) and China’s Weishi rocket collection. The Fatah-II appears to be a two-round G-MLRS, based mostly on the video launched by Pakistan’s army media wing. The rocket is “geared up with state-of-the-art avionics, refined navigation system, and distinctive flight trajectory,” in keeping with the official press launch. It could successfully have interaction adversaries’ targets inside a 400 km vary, with a round error possible (CEP) of lower than 10 meters. In keeping with Pakistani information sources, the improved precision outcomes from utilizing a mixture of inertial and satellite tv for pc navigation methods.

A number of questions come up right here. Why did Pakistan introduce a long-range artillery system when it already possesses short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs) with comparable ranges? What advantages are related to the Fatah-II rocket? The reply lies in Fatah-II’s decrease prices, means to conduct deep strike missions, brief sensor-to-shooter response time, and precision strike functionality.

Fatah-II gives extra bang for Pakistan’s buck as a result of it has low manufacturing and operational prices in comparison with delicate methods like SRBMs. Ballistic missiles have excessive upkeep and operational prices and require separate storage websites and employees to keep up them, whereas Fatah-II can simply mix with the MLRS fleet. Apart from, the sensor-to-shooter response time of Fatah-II is considerably shorter, making it a preferable selection for operational commanders. 

Furthermore, Fatah-II’s prolonged vary of 400 km permits it to eradicate the enemy’s strategic long-range air protection methods deployed within the rear. For example, it will probably take out even cellular targets like S-400 air protection methods that may rapidly shift from one firing location to a different. Moreover, its low price incentivizes the army to make use of it towards enemy air defenses by firing a barrage of rockets on a single battery of S-400 to overwhelm the system and, within the course of, eradicate it as nicely. This makes Fatah-II a singular system in Pakistan’s standard arsenal to carry out suppression of enemy air defenses (SEAD) missions sooner or later.

Having mentioned the operational utility of Fatah-II, it’s obligatory to have a look at the deterrence dimensions of the novel system. Fatah-II is a response to the Indian restricted battle doctrine referred to as the Chilly Begin Doctrine (CSD). Ever because the doctrine announcement in 2004, the Indian army has been repeatedly engaged in operational maneuvers to scale back its mobilization time to launch coordinated shock assaults on a number of fronts towards Pakistan. Furthermore, its core factor, Built-in Battle Teams (IBGs), a tailor-made pressure to launch a fast incursion into Pakistan’s territory, have been examined and embedded with the Indian Military Corps deployed alongside the Pakistan border. 

For example, Jane’s protection revealed in September 2022 that the idea of IBGs has already been test-bedded with Amy’s 9 Corps on the western border with Pakistan, and additional models shall be rolled out in a phased method shortly. It is a important improvement within the operationalization of IBGs, posing a major menace to Pakistan within the standard realm. 

The event was additionally acknowledged by present Indian Military Chief Common Manoj Pande when he emphasised the conversion of the entire military into battle teams. Final January, he explicitly indicated that with “pressure structuring and optimization, we’re changing our forces into IBGs, which is able to contribute successfully to trendy warfare.” The assertion indicated that after the conversion course of is accomplished, it should pave the best way for the Chilly Begin Doctrine to go sizzling at any time. 

Moreover, the Indian Military, the biggest in numbers amongst its sister forces and the mastermind behind the pre-emptive CSD doctrinal idea, nonetheless has nearly all of its strike and holding corps oriented towards Pakistan, though India claims to be ready for a two-front battle situation. Furthermore, the fight and logistics help components within the Indian Military had been beforehand a part of divisions in peacetime and suballotted to brigades throughout operations. Now, in restructuring towards the variation of IBGs, they’ve been completely positioned underneath brigades, that means the pressure may be launched at a second’s discover, and they don’t have to look towards the division to supply them with supporting components. This measure was adopted for the fast launch of IBGs, designed solely to launch towards Pakistan as a part of CSD necessities.  

In that context, Fatah-II strengthens Pakistan’s standard strike capabilities, permitting it to conduct interdiction missions deep into the enemy heartland. For the primary time, rear Indian army bases, ammunition depots, logistics hubs, and air bases are inside the placing vary of Pakistan’s standard artillery munitions.

To summarize, Fatah-II validates the presence of land interdiction ways within the Pakistan Military’s standard warfighting technique to delay, disrupt, and destroy Indian IBGs advancing in the direction of Pakistan’s border. To successfully accomplish such a mission requires long-range artillery, and within the type of Fatah-II Pakistan’s military has an ideal standard counterforce weapon.