Iran on Tuesday unveiled an intermediate range ballistic missile, which is its first-ever, according to Al-Jazeera.
Named Fattah, it can travel at hypersonic speeds of up to 15 times the speed of sound and can penetrate missile defence system.
The hypersonic missile has a range of 1,400 kilometres and uses solid propellants, allowing high manoeuvrability. Its name has been chosen by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and translates to “the opener”, the Al-Jazeera report said.
Unlike conventional ballistic missiles, hypersonic ones fly on a trajectory low in the atmosphere, enabling them to reach their targets more quickly and with less chance of being intercepted by modern air defences.
Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the chief of the aerospace force of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, had announced that they are developing a hypersonic missile at an event in November last year.
Iran says Fattah represents a “generational leap” for its missile technology. “Fattah cannot be destroyed by any other missile due to how it moves in different directions and at different altitudes,” Mr Hajizadeh had said at the event last year.
The unveiling ceremony was attended by Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, IRGC Commander-in-Chief Hossein Salami and other top officials.