The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), along with the Indian Army, has successfully tested the Pinaka Extended Range Multi Barrel Rocket Launcher System (Pinaka-ER), Area Denial Munitions (ADM) and indigenously developed fuzes at various Field Firing Ranges, including Pokhran, over the last three days.
In the trials, enhanced range Pinaka rockets were test fired at different ranges with various warhead capabilities and all the trial objectives were met satisfactorily, the Ministry of Defence said on Saturday.
As many as 24 rockets were fired for different ranges and warhead capabilities to meet the objectives of accuracy and consistency. The Pinaka-ER Multi Barrel Rocket Launcher System was successfully tested at Pokhran range.
WATCH | Extended Range Pinaka (Pinaka-ER) Multi Barrel Rocket Launcher System successfully tested at Pokhran Range. The system is designed by DRDO Laboratory ARDE along with HEMRL, Pune, the technology has been transferred to the Indian industry.@DRDO_India pic.twitter.com/hk9Vnfrdv1
— Prasar Bharati News Services पी.बी.एन.एस. (@PBNS_India) December 11, 2021
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.
It is jointly designed by the DRDO laboratories, Pune's Armament Research & Development Establishment and High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL), also from the same city.
The DRDO, after establishing the performance efficacy of the enhanced range Pinaka, transferred the technology of the system to the industry. The industry partner has manufactured enhanced Pinaka Mk-1 rockets with DRDO's hand holding during the production and quality assurance.
In continuation of the transfer of technology absorption, rockets developed by the industry have undergone the performance evaluation and quality certification process. The support during the production, quality assurance and launch coordination for bulk production is being provided by the DRDO design team and various agencies nominated for the system.
With this, the initial phase of technology absorption of Pinaka-ER by the Industry Partner has successfully been completed making it ready for series production of the rocket system.
The Area Denial Munition (ADM) variants of munition 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 fuzes 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 evaluation of these fuzes have been evaluated with flight testing. Consistency in performance of fuses has been established in consecutive flight trials.
These have been developed through dedicated indigenous R&D efforts for the first time in the country and will replace the imported fuzes, saving the foreign exchange. The ARDE has also designed miniaturised fuses for ADMs. Performance of dual-purpose Direct-Action Self Destruction (DASD) & Anti-Tank Munition (ATM) fuzes were evaluated during the current flight trials and the results were satisfactory.
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