New Delhi:
Amid rising global demand for it, India today successfully completed the flight test of its advanced guided weapon system Pinaka. The test assessed the range, accuracy, consistency and rate of fire of the Pinaka multi-target engagement system in burst mode.
“Defence Research and Development Organization of DRDO has successfully completed the flight tests of the Guided Pinaka Weapon System as part of the validation trials of the Provisional Staff Qualitative Requirements (PSQR),” the Defense Ministry said today, adding that the flight tests have been conducted in three phases on different shooting ranges.
“Twelve missiles from each production bureau of two in-service Pinaka launchers upgraded by the launcher production bureaus have been tested,” the statement said.
This means that defense production in New Delhi is gaining momentum under 'Make in India'. France has recently expressed interest in the Pinaka Multi-Barrel Rocket Launcher, or MBRL, system to strengthen its defenses.
THE PINAKA SYSTEM
The Pinaka system, which is being put on par with the US HIMARS system, has been India's first major defense export as conflict-hit Armenia placed the first order. Now France has also shown interest in the advanced missile system to strengthen its army's artillery division. In fact, the talks are already at a fairly advanced stage, sources familiar with the matter say, adding that France has decided to test the system in the coming weeks.
The Pinaka missile system, named after the divine bow of Lord Shiva, was a replacement for the Russian Grad BM-21 rocket launcher for the Indian Army. It was first deployed during the Kargil War of 1999. The Pinaka system had played a crucial role in destroying Pakistani positions at strategic heights during the war.
The Pinaka missile system has been developed by Armament Research & Development Establishment or ARDE, which falls under the DRDO. The system consists of a free-flight artillery rocket with a maximum range of 38 km with different types of warheads and detonators. It comes with a multi-tube launch vehicle, a supply vehicle, a supply vehicle and a command post vehicle.
The multi-barrel missile system has two pods with six missiles each, capable of firing all twelve missiles in salvo mode within 44 seconds, neutralizing a target area of 700 x 500 meters. For the Indian Army's specific requirement for a longer-range free-flight missile, ARDE has successfully developed the Pinaka Mk-II missile with a range of 60 km. The existing Pinaka MBRS launch vehicle and ground systems are also used for the Mk-II, with minor modifications for firing this new missile.
A battery can fire 72 missiles. Each launcher can now be controlled independently and missiles can be fired separately or simultaneously in different directions. The launch vehicle can be operated in manual, remote, stand-alone and autonomous modes. Its shooting and scooting capabilities also allow it to escape counter-battery fires.
The current version of the Pinaka system is a guided version, meaning the missiles have seekers used for precision strikes. As it became a guided system, it has now been able to increase its reach to almost double that of the first version. The DRDO is now working on a Pinaka guided system that can achieve a range of over 120 km, 150 km and 200 km to counter China's long-range guided missile systems.
GLOBAL INTEREST
The system is already in use by the Indian Army and is deployed at both the LoC with Pakistan and the LAC with China. It was also reportedly delivered to Armenia via Iran in 2023 to strengthen defenses against Azerbaijan.
France's move to consider purchasing the Pinaka system is part of efforts to strengthen defense and strategic ties between the two nations. France is India's largest defense supplier after Russia. The recent T AC 295 transport aircraft deal and the Rafael deal are a testament to the steadfast defense ties between Paris and New Delhi.