Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully flight-tested the indigenously-developed Pinaka Missile System from the Integrated Test Range, Chandipur, off the Odisha coast at 1200 hrs on Saturday.
The Pinaka is an artillery missile system capable of striking into enemy territory up to a range of 75 kilometres with high precision.
The Pinaka MK-II rocket is modified as a missile by integrating with the navigation, control and guidance system to improve the end accuracy and enhance the range. The navigation system of the missile is also aided by the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS).
The mission achieved all the objectives, including enhancing the range, accuracy and sub-system functionality. The missile was fired from Pinaka launcher system in deployment configuration. The flight article was tracked by multiple range systems, viz, telemetry, radars, electro-optical targeting system (EOTS), etc, which confirmed the text book flight performance.
The missile system has been jointly developed by various DRDO Laboratories, viz, Armament Research & Development Establishment (ARDE), Research Centre Imarat (RCI), Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), Proof and Experimental Establishment (PXE) and High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL).