Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on Wednesday successfully flight tested an enhanced version of the indigenously developed Pinaka rocket, with an extended range.
The flight test was carried out from the Integrated Test Range, at Chandipur, off the coast of Odisha.
The enhanced Pinaka system, with a reduced length, achieved a longer range performance compared to earlier design.
The design and development has been carried out by DRDO’s Pune based laboratories, Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE) and High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL).
A total of six rockets were launched in quick succession and the tests met complete mission objectives. Rockets tested have been manufactured by Economic Explosives Limited, Nagpur, to whom the technology has been transferred. All the flight articles were tracked by Range instruments such as telemetry, radar and Electro Optical Tracking Systems which confirmed the flight performance.
The enhanced version of the Pinaka rocket will replace the existing Pinaka Mk-I rockets which are currently under production.