NEW DELHI: The indigenous Pinaka multi-launch artillery rocket system, with an enhanced strike range of 45-60 km, was successfully tested at the integrated test range at Chandipur off the coast of Odisha on Wednesday.
“A total of six rockets were launched in quick succession and the tests met all the mission objectives. Development of the enhanced Pinaka system was taken up to achieve longer range performance compared to the earlier design with reduced length,” said a DRDO official.
The defence ministry in August had inked contracts worth Rs 2,580 crore for six new regiments of the Pinaka rocket systems, which have an original strike range of 35 to 40-km.
The contracts were inked with defence PSU Bharat Earth Movers Ltd. (BEML) and private sector companies, Tata Power Company Ltd. (TPCL) and Larsen & Toubro (L&T), for the six new regiments. The six Pinaka Regiments comprise 114 Launchers with automated gun aiming and positioning system and 45 command posts to be procured from TPCL and L&T, along with 330 vehicles from BEML.
“These six Pinaka regiments will be operationalised along the northern and eastern borders of our country (with China), further enhancing the operation preparedness of our armed forces. Induction of these Pinaka regiments is planned to be completed by 2024,” said an MoD official. The DRDO on Wednesday said the enhanced version of the Pinaka will eventually replace the existing Pinaka Mark-I rockets, which are currently under production.