DRDO, Indian Army test successfully Surface to Air Missiles

Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Indian Army have successfully completed six flight-tests of Quick Reaction Surface to Air Missile (QRSAM) system from Integrated Test Range (ITR) Chandipur off the Odisha coast. The flight tests were conducted as part of evaluation trials by the Indian Army.

The flight-tests were carried out against high-speed aerial targets mimicking various types of threats to evaluate the capability of the weapon systems under different scenarios, including long range medium altitude, short range, high altitude manoeuvring target, low radar signature with receding & crossing target and salvo launch with two missiles fired in quick succession. The system performance was also evaluated under day and night operation scenarios.

During these tests, all the mission objectives were met establishing pin-point accuracy of the weapon system with state-of-the-art guidance and control algorithms including warhead chain. The performance of the system has been confirmed from the data captured by a number of Range instruments like Telemetry, Radar and Electro Optical Tracking Systems (EOTS) deployed by ITR. Senior officials from DRDO and the Indian Army participated in the launches.

These tests were conducted in the final deployment configuration consisting of all indigenously-developed sub-systems, including the missile with indigenous Radio Frequency (RF) seeker, mobile launcher, fully automated command and control system, surveillance and multi-function Radars. The uniqueness of the QRSAM weapon system is that it can operate on the move with search and track capability & fire on short halt. This has been proven during the mobility trials conducted earlier.

Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh has complimented DRDO and Indian Army on the successful flight trials. He exuded confidence that the QRSAM weapon system will be an excellent force multiplier for the Armed Forces.

Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO has congratulated the teams associated with the successful series of trials and said that the system is now ready for induction into the Indian Army.

India successfully tests final user trial of anti-tank NAG missile

India carried out final user trial of 3rd generation Anti Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) NAG on Thursday, 22 Oct 2020 at 0645 hrs from Pokhran range. The missile was integrated with the actual warhead and a tank target was kept at designated range. This was launched from NAG Missile Carrier NAMICA. The missile hit the target accurately defeating the armour.

ATGM NAG has been developed by DRDO to engage highly fortified enemy tanks in day and night conditions. The missile has “Fire & Forget” “Top Attack” capabilities with passive homing guidance to defeat all MBTs equipped with composite and reactive armour.

The NAG missile carrier NAMICA is a BMP II based system with amphibious capability. With this final user trial, NAG will enter into production phase. The missile will be produced by Defence PSU Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL), whereas Ordnance Factory Medak will produce the NAMICA.

Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated DRDO and Indian Army for the successful trial of NAG Missile. Secretary DDR&D & Chairman DRDO, Dr G Satheesh Reddy appreciated the efforts of DRDO, Indian Army and Industry in bringing the missile up to the production phase.

The missile will be inducted soon in the India Army. In 2008, Ministry of Defence approved procurement of 300 Nag missiles and 25 missile carriers for Army. The missile was integrated with the actual warhead and a tank target was kept at designated range. This was launched from Nag Missile Carrier NAMICA.

The missile hit the target accurately defeating the armour. The NAG missile carrier NAMICA is an Infantry Combat Vehicle BMP2 II based system with amphibious capability. With this final user trial, NAG will enter into production phase.

The missile will be produced by Defence PSU Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL), whereas Ordinance Factory Medak will produce the NAMICA.

DRDO develops UV Disinfection Tower to ward off coronavirus aerosols

India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has developed an Ultra Violet (UV) Disinfection Tower for rapid and chemical free disinfection of high infection prone areas as coronavirus is continuing its spread in the country with more than 42,000 affected already.

The equipment named UV blaster is a UV based area sanitiser designed and developed by Laser Science & Technology Centre (LASTEC) in Delhi, a premier laboratory of DRDO, with the help of New Age Instruments and Materials Private Limited, Gurugram.

The UV Blaster is useful for high tech surfaces like electronic equipment, computers and other gadgets in laboratories and offices that are not suitable for disinfection with chemical methods. The product is also effective for areas with large flow of people such as airports, shopping malls, metros, hotels, factories, and offices.

UVDisinfectionTower / DRDO

The UV based area sanitiser may be used by remote operation through laptop or mobile phone using any wi-fi link. The equipment has six lamps, each with 43 watts of UV-C power at 254 nm wavelength for 360 degree illumination. “For a room of about 12 x 12-ft dimension, the disinfection time is about 10 minutes and 30 minutes for 400 square feet area by positioning the equipment at different places within the room,” said the DRDO in a statement.

This sanitiser switches off on accidental opening of room or human intervention and another salient safety feature of the product is the key to arm operation, said DRDO in a statement.

President Congratulates DRDO Test-firing of Indigenous Nuclear-Capable Prithvi-II Missile

President Pranab Mukherjee congratulated DRDO on the successful test-firing of the indigenously developed nuclear-capable Prithvi-II Missile.

In a message to Dr. S. Christopher, Secretary, Department of Defence Research & Development & Director General, DRDO, the President has said, “I extend my hearty congratulations to all those associated with the successful test-firing of the indigenously developed nuclear-capable Prithvi-II Missile.

The nation is proud of this achievement made by the DRDO and looks upon the Organization to take India into the ranks of the leading nations of the world in the field of defence programme.

Kindly convey my greetings and felicitations to the members of your team of scientists, engineers, technologists and all others associated with this mission. I wish the DRDO continued success in the coming years”.

Pinaka Guided Rocket Successfully Test-Fired

The Pinaka Rocket converted to a Guided Pinaka was successfully test-fired from Launch Complex-III, ITR, Chandipur on Thursday, said the ministry of defence in a statement.

The Pinaka Rocket Mark-II, which evolved from Pinaka Mark-I is equipped with a navigation, guidance and control kit and has been transformed to a Guided Pinaka, which has considerably enhanced the range and accuracy of the rocket.

The test-firing has met all mission objectives with the radars, electro-optical and telemetry systems tracked at Chandipur facility that monitored the vehicle all through its flight-path. The Guided Pinaka is developed jointly by ARDE Pune, RCI Hyderabad and DRDL Hyderabad. ITR Chandipur provided the range and launch support for the successful test-firing.

Pinaka is a multiple rocket launcher produced by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for the Indian Army. The system has a maximum range of 40 km for Mark-I and 65 km for Mark-II, and can fire a salvo of 12 HE rockets in 44 seconds. The system is mounted on a Tatra truck for mobility and it was used during the Kargil War effectively. On an average 5,000 missiles are being produced every year while the current one is an advanced version with enhanced range and accuracy.

Dr. K.M. Rajan, Director ARDE, Pune, Mr B.H.V.S. Narayana Murthy, Director, RCI, Hyderabad, Dr. B.K. Das, Director, ITR, Chandipur and Mr R. Appavuraj, Director, PXE, Chandipur monitored the launch operations and an Armed Forces team witnessed the flight test.

Indian defence minister Manohar Parrikar has congratulated the DRDO, industry and the Armed Forces for the successful flight-test and he was joined by top defence officials P.K. Mehta, DG (ACE) and Dr. S. Christopher, Secretary, Deptt. of Defence R&D and Chairman of DRDO.

[ tags pinaka rocket, test fired, drdo, chandipur test range]