Pinaka Long Range Guided Rocket
Why in News?
The Pinaka Long Range Guided Rocket (LRGR-120) is in the news because the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully flight-tested it from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) in Chandipur, Odisha.
Range and Flexibility
- Dual Range Validation: The system can hit targets at a maximum distance of 120 km and has now proven its capability to precisely strike closer targets at a minimum range of 60 km.
- Launcher Backward Compatibility: It is launched from the Indian Army's existing, in-service Pinaka launchers. This means the military can utilize the new long-range capability without needing expensive modifications to its current launcher infrastructure.
- Multi-Variant Capability: A single launcher can fire multiple variants of the Pinaka rocket family with varying operational ranges, offering high tactical flexibility on the battlefield.
Advanced Guidance & Precision
- Transformation to Missiles: The upgrade integrates a sophisticated Navigation, Control, and Guidance kit, essentially transforming a traditional unguided saturation rocket into a high-precision missile.
- Navigation Architecture: The guidance package combines an Inertial Navigation System (INS) with mid-course updates and terminal corrections.
- Satellite Assistance: The onboard navigation system is aided by India's indigenous satellite network, the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS / NavIC).
Strategic & Battlefield Impact
- Bridging the Firepower Gap: It effectively bridges the operational gap between standard conventional artillery tube guns and more expensive tactical missile systems.
- High Lethality Warhead: The rocket is armed with a pre-fragmented high-explosive warhead designed to destroy strategic assets like enemy command nodes, radar positions, logistics hubs, and deep-seated artillery positions.
- Cost-Effective Warfare: Developing precision-guided artillery rockets provides an affordable, mass-producible alternative to tactical ballistic missiles for deep strike missions.
Indigenous Development & Global Success
- DRDO Collaboration: The weapon is indigenously designed by the Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE), Pune, and the High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL). It is supported by the Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL) and the Research Centre Imarat (RCI), Hyderabad.
- Manufacturing Partners: Indian public and private sector defence firms, including Munitions India Limited, Economic Explosives Limited, Tata Advanced Systems, and Larsen & Toubro (L&T) manage production and system upgrades.
- Export Footprint: Due to its high performance and competitive pricing, the Pinaka platform has already achieved major export success with countries like Armenia, while nations like France are in advanced procurement discussions.
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