The Fateh-110 is a short-range, road-mobile, solid-propellant ballistic missile. It is most likely a modified version of the unguided Zelzal-2, with the addition of control and guidance systems.¹ While the program is based in Iran, the missile is believed to incorporate components from Chinese contractors. In 2006, the US Department of Treasury accused Chinese firm Great Wall Industry and its partners of playing a lead role in the development of the Fateh missile system.² Iran has launched several Fateh missiles, as well as longer-range variants like the Zolfaghar, in military operations since 2017.

Fateh-110 Development

Iran began developing the Fateh-110 in 1995. The missile is 8.86 m long, 0.61 m in diameter, and weighs 3,450 kg.³ It uses a single-stage solid propellant engine and has an effective range of 300 km, although the Fateh-110’s range differs based on variants. It likely carries a payload between 450 kg and 600 kg and is most likely intended to deliver a high explosive, chemical, or submunitions warhead.⁴ The first test flight of the Fateh-110 took place in May 2001, with a second in September 2002.⁵ A fourth test was successfully completed during the “Great Prophet 2” military exercise in November 2006.⁶ Iran displayed the Fateh-110 in September 2007 alongside the Qadr-1 and the Shahab-3.⁷

Additionally, Iran fired the Fateh A-110 from a fixed launcher, similar to a Russian SA-2 “Guideline” launcher during its test program.⁸ Reports from 2009 suggest that the missiles could be launched from flat-bed trucks or standard freight containers in caves or tunnels.⁹ The launcher could be converted into MAZ 543 chassis used by Scud missiles or a truck chassis used by the Zelzal-2 system.¹⁰

Fateh-110 Variants

Iran has also developed several improved versions of the Fateh designated the A-110A (or Fateh-2) and the A-110B (or Fateh-3).¹¹ A 2008 report suggested that Syria was building a surface-to-surface missile with Iranian assistance.¹² This cooperative project, often referred to as the M-600, is believed to be based upon the Fateh A-110B and have an operational range of at least 300 km.¹³ The Assad regime likely launched Fateh-110 missiles at opposition groups in the country in December 2012, prompting NATO to deploy Patriot batteries to Turkey.¹⁴ It is expected that the A-110B will have a slightly reduced payload of 480 kg and an accuracy of 250 m CEP.¹⁵ A fourth-generation Fateh was unveiled in August 2012 and was said to have an improved guidance system and a range in excess of 300 km.¹⁶ In 2018, Iran displayed the Fateh-e Mobin missile, which it claims has a range between 300-500 km.¹⁷

Iran and Syria have also transferred Fateh variants to the Lebanese group Hezbollah. Iranian and Lebanese sources confirmed these transfers in 2014, though some reports suggest transfers as early as 2007.¹⁸ In 2010, Israeli officials also alleged that Syria had transferred M-600 variants of the Fateh to Hezbollah.¹⁹ Iran has separately transferred Fateh-110 missiles to proxy groups in Iraq in 2018.²⁰

Fateh-110 Anti-Ship Variants

In 2014, the IRGC displayed two variants of the Fateh missile it called the Hormuz-1 and Hormuz-2.²¹ Iranian officials claimed the Hormuz-1 carries anti-radiation capabilities for attacking radar systems, and in 2014, Iranian television broadcast images of commanders watching an attack on a target with radar antennae.²² The original claim was that Hormuz-2 was an anti-ship variant, but images of the missile suggested it had a similar radio frequency-transparent radome and not a window for an electro-optical infrared seeker, suggesting it is essentially the same as the Hormuz-1.²³

Another anti-ship variant of the Fateh is the Khalij Fars, which does have the electro-optical seeker required to improve accuracy enough to potentially hit a moving target.²⁴ Tehran claims that early version Khalij Fars entered service in 2008, but was not officially delivered to the Iranian military until a ceremony in March 2014.²⁵ The Department of Defense did assess in the unclassified version of its 2014 report on the military power of Iran that it does possess an antiship ballistic missile capability.²⁶

Operational History

Iran has used the Fateh family of missiles in multiple military operations since 2017. Two of these operations likely included use of some variant of the Fateh-110. In 2018, Iran launched seven missiles at targets in Koya, Iraq, focusing on the headquarters of two Iranian Kurdish parties.²⁷ According to an IRGC statement, Iranian drones supported the attack and provided targeting information.

Tehran also likely used Fateh missiles in its attack on Erbil Air Base in northern Iraq as part of its retaliation for the killing of Quds Force Commander Qasem Soleimani. Iranian sources shortly after the attack speculated that Fateh missiles were involved. The missile launch locations and targets show similarity to the attacks in Koya, suggesting that the Fateh missiles were involved.²⁸