India successfully tested enhanced Pinaka Rocket

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully test fired an extended range version of indigenously developed “Pinaka” rocket at Integrated Test Range (ITR) in Chandipur off the coast of Odisha, official sources said on Friday. Altogether 25 Enhanced Pinaka Rockets were test fired in quick succession against targets at different ranges on Thursday and Friday.

The 122 mm Caliber rockets were launched from a Multi-Barrel Rocket Launcher (MBRL), an official said. The ministry of defence in a statement that the enhanced range version of the Pinaka Rocket System can destroy targets at distances up to 45km. News agency PTI cited an official as saying that the development of the enhanced Pinaka system was taken up to achieve longer range performance. All the flight articles were tracked by various range instruments in order to check the accuracy of the rockets hitting the target. This enhanced rocket system would replace the existing 122mm Grad rockets. The rocket system has been developed jointly by Pune based Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE) and High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL) with manufacturing support from Economic Explosives Limited, Nagpur.

The development of the Enhanced Pinaka system was taken up to achieve longer range performance, sources said. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated DRDO and the Industry on the successful launch of Enhanced Pinaka Rockets.