In an effort to sustain the tempo of self-reliance in niche technology, Indian scientists on Saturday conducted rocket launchers and helicopter-fired anti-tank missiles tests successfully.
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) carried out these tests at Pokharan ranges in Rajasthan.
Giving details of the Pinaka rocket launcher, officials said the test included the extended range of the rockets, area denial munitions (ADM) and indigenously developed fuses. The Pinaka-ER multi barrel rocket launcher system.
The system is jointly designed by laboratories of the DRDO, Armament Research and Development Establishment, Pune, and High Energy Materials Research Laboratory, Pune.
The DRDO, along with the Army, conducted a series of performance evaluation trials of these industry-produced rockets at field firing ranges during the last three days. In these trials, enhanced range Pinaka rockets were test-fired at different ranges with various warhead capabilities.
All the trial objectives were met satisfactorily. 24 rockets were fired for different ranges and warhead capabilities to meet the objectives of accuracy and consistency. With this, the initial phase of technology absorption of Pinaka-ER by the industry partner has successfully been completed, making the industry partner ready for series production of the rocket system.
The Pinaka-ER is the upgraded version of the earlier Pinaka version which has been in service with the Indian Army for the last decade. The system has been designed in the light of emerging requirements with advanced technologies enhancing the range.
The ADM variants of ammunition designed by the ARDE, Pune, for Pinaka and manufactured by the industry partners under technology transfer were successfully carried out at Pokhran field firing ranges. These trials are part of performance evaluation under technology absorption.
The indigenously-developed proximity fuses for Pinaka rockets have also been tested. The ARDE, Pune, has developed different fuses for Pinaka rocket for different types of applications. After design validation trials, dynamic performance evaluations of these fuses have been evaluated with flight testing. Consistency in performance of fuses has been established in consecutive flight trials.
In the second test, the DRDO and the IAF flight-tested the indigenously designed and developed helicopter launched Stand-off Anti-tank (SANT) Missile from Pokhran ranges.
The test was successful in meeting all its mission objectives. The release mechanism, advanced guidance and tracking algorithms, all avionics with integrated software, performed satisfactorily, and tracking systems monitored all mission events. The weapon can neutralise targets in a range up to 10 km.
The SANT missile has been designed and developed by Research Centre Imarat (RCI), Hyderabad in coordination with other DRDO labs and participation from industries. This is the third in the series of indigenous stand-off weapons to be tested in recent times after long-range bomb and smart anti-airfield weapon for strengthening the arsenal of IAF.
