Fath 360

Iranian tactical ballistic missile

Maximum speed Mach 3 (At Launch)[1]
Mach 4 (On Impact)[1]
Guidance
system
GNSS, INSAccuracyLess than 30 m (98 ft)[2]

Fath-360 (Persian: فتح-۳۶۰), also known as BM-120, is an Iranian short-range satellite-guided tactical ballistic missile announced on the Islamic Republic of Iran Army Day, April 18, 2022. They are built by the Aerospace Industries Organization (AIO).[3]

History

On August 10, 2024, it was reported that Russian soldiers are in Iran to learn about the Fath 360.[4]

Design

Fath-360 firing during a military exercise.

It is believed that Fath 360 is a shorter version of Fateh family of SRBMs.[5] Its light weight and small dimensions allow several of these missiles to be put on a truck-based launcher.

With 30 to 120 km (19 to 75 mi) of range, each can carry a 150 kg (330 lb) warhead and be launched with the speed of Mach 3 (1020 m/s). Then they connect to satellites for rapid homing and hit their targets with the speed of Mach 4 (1361 m/s).[6]

Missile

The Fath 360 was first shown under the name of Fath in a military exhibition on August 21, 2020. As a family of Fateh SRBMs, it is almost half the size of a Fateh-110 But has the same configuration 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.

Launcher

The missile is launched through a round launch container on a truck-based TEL. The Fath-360 launcher comes with two, three, four or six-round launch containers each carrying one missile. with these characteristics it can act like a GMLRS.

Guidance

Fath 360 uses GNSS guidance and is believed to be using GLONASS satellite navigation system as its guidance.[1] The missile is also believed to be using INS as a secondary guidance system. [1]

Operators

  •  Iran
    • Islamic Republic of Iran Army Ground Forces[7]
    • Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Ground Forces[8]
  •  Russia
    • Russian Army[9]

Operational history

Fath-360 was first test fired during the Eghtedar 1401 military drills at Nasrabad, Isfahan.[10]

Reports also say that Fath-360 has been used to attack the positions of KDPI in Northern Iraq on September 28, 2022.[citation needed]See 2022 Koya bombings.

On April 11, 2023, the Iranian army received several Fath-360 systems in a ceremony.[7]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h "Iran's new Fath 360 looks and acts like a HIMARS". 16 September 2022.
  2. ^ "پیام‌های مهم عملیاتی شدن «فتح» در نزسا و نزاجا/ پای «تیربار موشک‌های بالستیک» به نیروی زمینی ارتش باز شد +عکس". 10 September 2022.
  3. ^ "Iran to deliver hundreds of ballistic missiles to Russia soon, intel sources say".
  4. ^ https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/iran-deliver-hundreds-ballistic-missiles-russia-soon-intel-sources-say-2024-08-09/
  5. ^ "Fath-360 and Ababil from iran for russia: What Are These Missiles and What Are the Main Differences from the Fateh-110? | Defense Express".
  6. ^ https://farsnews.ir/news/14010618000556/%D8%A2%D9%86%DA%86%D9%87-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%D8%B1%D8%B2%D9%85%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%B4-%D8%A7%D9%82%D8%AA%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%B1-40-%DA%AF%D8%B0%D8%B4%D8%AA-%D8%A7%D8%B2-%D8%B4%D9%84%DB%8C%DA%A9-%D9%85%D9%88%D8%B4%DA%A9-%D9%81%D8%AA%D8%AD-360-%D8%A8%D8%B1%D8%A7%DB%8C-%D8%A7%D9%88%D9%84%DB%8C%D9%86-%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D8%AA%D8%A7
  7. ^ a b https://caspiannews.com/news-detail/irans-army-adds-more-than-1000-new-combat-equipment-2023-4-12-9/
  8. ^ "Intel Sources: Iran to Deliver Hundreds of Ballistic Missiles to Russia Soon".
  9. ^ Administrator. "Iran to Supply Fath 360 Ballistic Missiles to Russia for Use in Ukraine Conflict". www.armyrecognition.com. Retrieved 11 August 2024.
  10. ^ "HIMARS Hysteria! Iran Claims Testing Indigenous Fath 360 Missiles That is 'Very Similar' to US Army's MLRS". 20 September 2022.