Harman Patil (Editor)

Fateh 110

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Type
  
Tactical SRBM

Wars
  
Syrian civil war

Unit cost
  
Unknown

In service
  
2002–present

Manufacturer
  
Iran


Used by
  
Iran  Syria  North Korea Hezbollah

Fateh-110 (Persian: فاتح-۱۱۰‎‎, "conqueror") is a single-stage solid-propellant, surface-to-surface missile with at least a 200 km range, and it is produced domestically within Iran by the Aerospace Industries Organization, including the solid fuel propellant. Iran successfully flight tested the final version of the Fateh-110 in September, 2002. Several weeks later in mid-September 2002 the Aerospace Industries Organization opened a plant to mass-produce the Fateh-110. The initial range of the missile was 200 km but in September 2004 it was announced that it had been extended to 250 km and if needed it could be increased further. Fateh-110 has a range of 300 km in its fourth generation which was unveiled in 2012.

Contents

History

After the Iran-Iraq war, Iran found out that it needed an accurate short-range missile, as its Zelzal and Naze'at rockets were unguided rockets and thus very inaccurate. Thus, 200 Chinese CSS-8 short-range missiles were bought in 1989. But those missiles did not satisfy Iranians because of their short range, relatively light warhead and bulky structure. So a project was assigned to Shahid Bagheri Industries to design and produce a guided short-range missile.

Developments began in 1995 and Zelzal 2 was chosen for the basis of the missile. Reportedly Syria also joined the program and produced its version called M-600. North Korea also gained some missiles. First tests occurred in 2002 which were successful, and the missile was put into production.

In 2004, a version with extended range of 250 km was unveiled. This version is probably the one offered for export.

It seemed that Syrians were still trying to produce their M-600 in 2008 based on the version unveiled in 2004. In 2010 the Israeli press claimed that Syria has given hundreds of M-600 missiles to Hezbollah.

In 2010, an upgraded version, dubbed "Third Generation of Fateh-110" was tested by Iran. Iranian defense minister Ahmad Vahidi stated that accuracy, range, reaction time and storage capability in different parts of the country are increased. After that Iranian TV provided footage of the test and the impact. Some time later, it was delivered to IRGC. The range of the missile was stated as 300 km.

In 2011, Iran unveiled its first anti-ship ballistic missile called Khalij Fars. It is clearly based on Fateh-110 and shares the range of 300 km with the later versions.

On August 2012 Iran successfully test-fired the fourth generation of Fateh-110 missiles.

On 3 and 5 May 2013, Israel claimed it had hit an alleged shipment of Fateh-110 in Syria that it claimed were "destined for Hezbollah". Israel said that it would not tolerate "game changing weapons" falling into the hands of Hezbollah. On 18 May Israeli media claimed that the Syrian army had aimed a battery of Tishreen missiles, Syria's version of Iran’s Fateh-110, at Tel Aviv according to reconnaissance satellites. These missiles are believed to see possible use as a deterrent against further Israeli airstrikes on Syrian targets.

In late November 2014, Iranian and Lebanese sources confirmed that Hezbollah had received Iranian Fateh-110 guided ballistic missiles and inducted them into their missile arsenal. With a 250–350 km (160–220 mi) range, Fateh-110 missiles fired from Lebanon could hit targets anywhere in Israel up to the northern Negev. Israel has regarded deliveries of such missiles as justification for preemptive response, as the previous year it attacked missile shipments, transport convoys, and storage sites in Syria and Lebanon to prevent these and other missile types from being acquired by Hezbollah.

Design

Missile body is very similar to that of Zelzal 2. It has the same diameter of 610 mm and a length of 8.86 m.

It has three sets of fins. Four at the end of it near the exhaust, four other triangular shaped fins just above them and four small ones in front of missile near the nosecone. Of the three sets of fins on the missile, only the front ones are movable.

Transporting

Fateh 110 uses three different TELs. The first one has a similar mechanism with SA-2 and is based on a Mercedes-Benz 6x6 truck. The second one is the TEL that is used by newer versions of Zelzal rockets that again uses the Mercedes-Benz platform. The third one is a new indigenous TEL called Zolfaghar that is able to carry two missiles instead of one.

Syrian civil war

According to two unnamed U.S. military officials, the Syrian Government has fired at least two Fateh A-110 missiles in late December 2012. The firing of these missiles appeared to be an effort to more precisely target Syrian rebels.

Operators

  •  Iran
  •  Syria
  •  North Korea
  • Hezbollah
  • References

    Fateh-110 Wikipedia