The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on 25 June said it has successfully test-fired enhanced range versions of indigenously-developed Pinaka rockets and 122 mm Caliber rockets from a Multi-Barrel Rocket Launcher (MBRL) at the Integrated Test Range (ITR) in Chandipur off the coast of Odisha.
Named after the bow of Shiva, Pinaka has been developed by two Pune-based DRDO facilities.
Twenty-five advanced Pinaka rockets were launched in quick succession against targets at different ranges on 24 and 25 June. All the mission objectives were met during the launches. The ministry of defence in a statement that the enhanced range version of the Pinaka Rocket System can destroy targets at distances up to 45 km.
An official said that the development of the enhanced Pinaka system was taken up to achieve longer range performance. All the flight articles were tracked by various range instruments in order to check the accuracy of the rockets hitting the target.
Four enhanced range version of 122 mm Caliber rockets, developed for the Indian Army and which can destroy targets up to 40 km, were also test-fired with full instrumentation and they too met all mission objectives. This enhanced rocket system would replace the existing 122 mm Grad rockets.
All the flight articles were tracked by range instruments including Telemetry, Radar and Electro-Optical Tracking System deployed by DRDO facilities — Integrated Test Range (ITR) and Proof and Experimental Establishment (PXE).
Defence minister Rajnath Singh has congratulated DRDO and the industry on the successful launch of the enhanced Pinaka rockets and 122mm Caliber rockets.
In order to check the accuracy of the rockets hitting the target, all the flight articles were tracked by various range instruments. The Pune based Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE) and High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL), with manufacturing support from Economic Explosives Limited, Nagpur, jointly developed the rocket system.
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