Successful tests of Pinaka Extended Range (ER) multi-barrel rocket launcher system, Area Denial Munitions (ADM) and indigenously developed fuses have been carried out at various test ranges, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) said on Saturday.
“The DRDO, along with the Army, conducted a series of performance evaluation trials of these industry produced rockets at field firing ranges during the last three days,” it said in a statement. “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 DRDO said 24 rockets were fired for different ranges and warhead capabilities to meet the objectives of accuracy and consistency. 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, it said.
The technology of the Pinaka ER rockets was transferred by the DRDO to the industry partner, which manufactured the enhanced Pinaka Mk-1 rockets with DRDO’s handholding during the production and quality assurance. The hand holding during the production, quality assurance and launch coordination for bulk production is being provided by the DRDO design team and QA agencies nominated for the system, it said.
The Pinaka-ER is the upgraded version of earlier version which has been in service with the Army for the last decade.
The ADM variants of munition designed by the Armament Research & Development Establishment (ARDE), Pune for Pinaka and manufactured by the industry partner were also successfully carried out at Pokhran range as part of performance evaluation trials under technology absorption.
In addition, proximity fuses for Pinaka rockets developed by the ARDE, Pune, have also been tested. Stating that after design validation trials, dynamic performance evaluation of these fuses has been evaluated with flight testing, the DRDO said consistency in performance of fuses has been established in consecutive trials. The fuses were developed for the first time in the country and will replace the imported fuses and save foreign exchange, it said.
The ARDE has also designed miniaturised fuses for the ADMs which include dual-purpose direct-action self-destruction fuses and anti-tank munition fuses which were also successfully tested.
