During World Defense Show 2024, held in Riyadh from 4-8 February, Pakistan’s Global Industrial Defence Solutions (GIDS) presented its largest stand ever, the most significant element of which was the Fatah-II multiple rocket launcher (MRL).
Work on the Fatah II MRL system began more than two years ago in response to the deteriorating situation in the region. The system, which was successfully tested in late December 2023, is also a result of lessons learned from modern warfare, where various rocket systems play a significant role. GIDS believes that the importance of rockets will only continue to grow. Fatah II is intended as a weapon to counter India’s S-400 air and missile defence system.
According to information provided during WDS 2024, the inertial navigation system/global navigation satellite system (INS/GNSS)-guided Fatah II rocket has a range between 100-290 km (for the Fatah-I system the declared range is below 140 km). Both variants (Fatah-I and Fatah-II) have been designed to “precisely attack and destroy the enemy’s group and area targets, such as military bases, massed armoured troops, missile launching sites, large airports, harbours and other important facilities”. The Fatah system is mounted on the Chinese Taian TAS5450 8×8 chassis (two rockets per vehicle for the Fatah-II system; eight rockets per vehicle for the Fatah-I).
The Fatah-II rocket, which is propelled by a single-stage, dual-thrust, solid rocket motor, carries a unitary blast/blast fragmentation warhead and weighs 365 kg, has a declared circular error probable (CEP) below 50 m. It can be launched in both salvo and non-salvo modes.
During WDS 2024 GIDS also promoted other products, such as the Harbah multi-platform-launched subsonic (Mach 0.6 – 0.8) cruise missile, which has a range of up to 280 km. The Harbah has a gross weight of 1,350 kg and is equipped with a radar and imaging infra-red seeker.
GIDS also promoted the Taimoor long-range air-launched cruise missile. With a length of 4.38 m, the Taimoor is guided by INS/GNSS and has a declared range of 290 km.
GIDS additionally presented the Shahpar II Block II medium-altitude long endurance unmanned aerial vehicle. With a wingspan of 9.4 m, the Shahpar II has a maximum speed of 220 km/h and an endurance of 12 hours for the armed variant and 20 hours for the surveillance variant. The armed version can be equipped with up to four missiles each weighing 45 kg.
The main objective of GIDS during WDS 2024 was not only to showcase its capabilities to potential customers but also to strengthen its relations with Saudi Arabia, which remains a key political and security ally for Pakistan. GIDS confirmed that it is willing to transfer technology and production to Saudi Arabia in order to support Riyadh in fulfilling Vision 2030 goals, which include a diversification of the Saudi economy. GIDS emphasised that it holds the copyrights to its products and has no legal restrictions on exporting them.
