India successfully test-fires Pinaka missile systems

A new version of the Pinaka rocket system has been successfully flight-tested by the Defence Research and Development Organisation and the Indian Army at the Pokhran firing ranges, the defence ministry said on Saturday.

As many as 24 Pinaka Mk-I (Enhanced) Rocket Systems (EPRS) were fired for different ranges during the last fortnight and the weapons met the required accuracy and consistency, it said.

The EPRS is the upgraded version of the Pinaka variant that has been in service with the Indian Army for the last decade.

The ministry said the rocket system has been upgraded with advanced technologies enhancing the range to meet the emerging requirements.

"Pinaka Mk-I (Enhanced) Rocket System (EPRS) and Pinaka Area Denial Munition (ADM) rocket systems have been successfully flight-tested by Defence Research and Development Organisation and Indian Army at Pokhran firing ranges," the ministry said in a statement.

"With these trials, the initial phase of technology absorption of EPRS by the industry has successfully been completed and the industry partners are ready for user trials/series production of the rocket system," it added.

The Pinaka rocket system has been developed by Armament Research and Development Establishment, Pune, supported by High Energy Materials Research Laboratory, another Pune-based laboratory of the DRDO.

After establishing the performance efficacy of the enhanced range version of Pinaka, the technology was transferred to Munitions India Limited and Economic Explosives Limited, Nagpur.

"Rockets manufactured by MIL under transfer of technology from DRDO were flight-tested during this campaign. Different variants of munitions and fuses which can be used in the Pinaka rocket system were also successfully test evaluated in the Pokhran field firing range," the defence ministry said.

DRDO Chairman G Satheesh Reddy has congratulated the teams involved in the project for completing the flight trials of the rockets.