The Fattah-1 is Iran's first-generation hypersonic weapon, while the Fattah-2 represents a significant technological step forward by incorporating a true Hypersonic Glide Vehicle (HGV) that allows for far greater maneuverability and a more unpredictable flight path.
In other words, Fattah-2 is the more advanced, and more capable missile. Fattah-1 and Fattah-2 are probably Iran's most advanced publicly unveiled hypersonic-class missile systems.
A ballistic missile is a missile that travels through the air along a high, curved trajectory, similar to throwing a ball very far—hence the name ballistic.
A ballistic missile generally has three phases:
Launch/boost 🚀 — Its rocket engines fire and accelerate the missile upward and forward.
Midcourse 🛰️ — After the engines stop, it can travel through the upper atmosphere or space mostly by inertia, following a ballistic trajectory.
Reentry/terminal ☄️ — The warhead comes back into the atmosphere at very high speed and descends toward its target.
So after the rocket engines stop, the missile doesn't need an engine constantly pushing it toward the target. Its trajectory is largely determined by its initial velocity, gravity, and the shape of its flight path.
One subtle point: saying it "relies on gravity" is slightly incomplete. Gravity pulls it toward Earth, but momentum is what keeps it moving forward. The combination of the two produces the characteristic curved/ballistic trajectory.
That's also why it's called a ballistic missile: much of its flight after powered ascent follows a trajectory governed by physics—especially gravity and inertia—rather than continuous powered flight.
The Sejjil-2 (also spelled Sajjil, or called Ashoura/Ashura) is a two-stage, solid-fuel, medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM) designed and built domestically by Iran.
It is considered a significant technological leap for Tehran because it represents a shift away from older, slower-to-launch liquid-fueled designs.
The viral video showing a white, wavy/snake-like smoke trail in the night sky is almost certainly the Sejjil‑2 — Iran's two‑stage, solid‑fuel ballistic missile, widely nicknamed the "Dancing Missile" or "Cobra trail missile."
In fact, Iranian state media specifically described the June 2025 Sejjil-2 launch as producing a “serpentine” / “cobra-like” winding plume.
Sejjil-2 is an Iranian-made missile. It was developed and produced domestically by Iran as part of its effort to move from liquid-fueled missiles toward solid-fueled systems.
The CSIS Missile Defense Project describes Sejjil as a “domestically designed and built by Iran” two-stage solid-propellant medium-range ballistic missile.
The easiest way to understand a hypersonic missile is to follow it from launch to impact.
First, an important point: “hypersonic” means traveling at Mach 5 or faster. But a missile doesn't have to use a special engine throughout its flight to be hypersonic.
There are two major modern types:
Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor is unmatched in dogfights and stealth. It features supercruise ability (flying supersonic without afterburners) and extreme agility.
Lockheed Martin | 5th Generation | USAF only
Top speed: Mach 2.25 (~1,500 mph / 2,410 km/h)
Supercruise: Mach 1.8+ without afterburner — unique among U.S. fighters
Stealth: Lowest radar cross-section of any operational fighter
Key strengths: Thrust vectoring for unmatched maneuverability, AN/APG-77 AESA radar, internal weapons bays (6× AIM-120 + 2× AIM-9)
Status: Entered service 2005; ~187 built; production ended 2011; never exported
Role: Air dominance — designed to defeat any enemy aircraft.
The F-16 Fighting Falcon is a 4th-generation fighter aircraft, but modern upgraded versions are often described as 4.5-generation fighters. Despite being designed in the 1970s, it remains one of the most widely used and combat-proven fighter families in the world.
Its strength is that it combines high speed, excellent maneuverability, modern weapons, and relatively affordable operating costs. In the hands of a well-trained pilot, a modern F-16 can be a very dangerous opponent.
