India Successfully Tests Extended Range Version Of Pinaka Multi Barrel Rocket Launcher System, Serial Production To Start Soon

India has conducted successful tests of Pinaka Extended Range (Pinaka-ER) at Pokharan test range in Rajasthan, an official release said on Saturday (11 December).

Further, tests of Area Denial Munitions (ADM) and indigenously developed fuzes were also carried out at various test ranges.

The Pinaka-ER Multi Barrel Rocket Launcher System is jointly designed by laboratories of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) - Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE), Pune and High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL), Pune.

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 handholding during the production and Quality Assurance, said a Defence Ministry release.

In continuation of the Transfer of Technology absorption, rockets developed by the industry have undergone the performance evaluation and quality certification process, the ministry added.

The DRDO, along with the Indian Army, conducted series of performance evaluation trials of these industry produced rockets at Field Firing Ranges during the last three days, the ministry said.

"In these trials, enhanced range Pinaka rockets were test fired at different ranges with various warhead capabilities. All the trial objectives were met satisfactorily," the ministry added.

A number of 24 rockets were fired for different ranges and warhead capabilities to meet the objectives of accuracy and consistency, it said.

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, according to the ministry.

The Pinaka-ER is the upgraded version of 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 test of 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 ministry said.

The indigenously-developed proximity fuzes for Pinaka rockets have also been tested, it added.

The ARDE, Pune has developed different fuzes 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 fuzes has been established in consecutive flight trials," the ministry said.

These indigenously developed fuzes will replace the imported fuzes and save foreign exchange. The ARDE has also designed miniaturised fuzes for ADMs, it added.

"Performance of dual-purpose Direct-Action Self Destruction (DASD) and Anti-Tank Munition (ATM) fuzes were evaluated during the current flight trials and the results were satisfactory. All the mission objectives were successfully in all the above trials," the ministry said.