DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organization) has successfully test-fired enhanced range versions of the indigenously developed Artillery Rocket Systems – Pinaka and 122mm Caliber rockets. The R&D wing of the Ministry of Defence (MoD), Govt. of India claimed that the tests met all the mission objectives.
The tests were conducted from a Multi-Barrel Rocket Launcher (MBRL) on June 24th and 25th, 2021, at Integrated Test Range, Chandipur off the coast of Odisha.
During the test, 25 Enhanced Pinaka Rockets were fired one after the other against targets at different ranges meeting all the mission objectives. DRDO says that the current version of the Pinaka Rocket System can destroy targets at distances up to 45km.
On the other hand, the two-day test session also included four enhanced range 122mm rockets that were test-fired with full instrumentation and all the mission objectives were met during the launches. It can destroy targets at distances up to 40km. “This enhanced rocket system would replace the existing 122mm Grad rockets,” says MoD.
DRDO said that “all the flight articles were tracked by Range instruments including Telemetry, Radar, and Electro-Optical Tracking systems deployed by ITR & Proof and Experimental Establishment (PXE).”
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has congratulated DRDO and the Industry on the successful launch of the enhanced Artillery Rocket Systems. Dr. G Satheesh Reddy, Chairman DRDO and Secretary of Department of Defence R&D, also praised the efforts of the teams involved.
Both the rocket systems – Pinaka and 122mm Caliber are jointly developed by Pune-based Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE) and High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL) with manufacturing support from Economic Explosives Limited, Nagpur.