DRDO Successfully Tests Pinaka Long Range Guided Rocket

DRDO Successfully Tests Pinaka Long Range Guided Rocket

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Why in News

  • The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully tested the Pinaka Long Range Guided Rocket at the Integrated Test Range in Chandipur, Odisha.
  • This flight trial verified the rocket's ability to accurately hit targets at a minimum strike range of 60 km.

Key Features and Range Capabilities

  • This indigenous guided rocket targets enemy command posts, artillery positions, bunkers, and supply hubs deep inside hostile territory.
  • An earlier test established its maximum strike distance of 120 km, and this new trial confirms precision across the full 60-120 km operational envelope.
  • Hitting close targets required the missile to dump excess energy and perform sharp maneuvers in mid-flight, proving the weapon system has no dead zone.

Development and System Features

  • The test utilized an existing Pinaka launcher, confirming that current artillery units can deploy upgraded variants without purchasing new launcher hardware.
  • The Armament Research and Development Establishment in Pune created this weapon alongside the High Energy Materials Research Laboratory, supported by DRDL and Research Centre Imarat.
  • A single launcher fires a salvo of 12 rockets in 44 seconds, while a battery of six launchers can deliver 72 rockets to saturate a one square kilometre area.

Operational Utility and Strategic Significance

  • Mounted on heavy trucks, the mobile firing platform follows a shoot-and-scoot strategy to deliver quick strikes and relocate before enemy artillery can respond.
  • Building on operational service since the 1999 Kargil War, this success advances India's self-reliance in artillery and sets the stage for upcoming 300-km and 450-km long-range versions.