Article Posted on : - Jan 25, 2017

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BALASORE, ODISHA (PTI): The guided Pinaka rocket was on Tuesday successfully test-fired for the second time from launch complex-III of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) launch pad at Chandipur.

Defence sources said the test was conducted at 12:45 PM and Pinaka rocket mark-II, equipped with navigation, guidance and control kit, was transformed into a "guided Pinaka".

The conversion facilitated range enhancement and improvement in Pinaka's accuracy.

"The mission met all its objectives," said ITR Director B K Das.

He said all the radars, electro-optical and telemetry systems at the ITR monitored the guided Pinaka throughout its flight path.

Deputy Chief of Army Staff Lt Gen Subrata Saha, Director General Artillery Lt Gen P K Srivastava and other senior officers of the army witnessed the launch, an official statement said.

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar congratulated both Army and DRDO for developing the guided Pinaka in a very short span of time, it said.

ARDE Director K M Rajan, RCI Director BHVS Narayana Murthy, ITR Director B K Das, Director of High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (Pune) K P S Murthy and Director of Proof and Experimental Establishment at Chandipur R Appavuraj monitored the launch operations.

Scientific Adviser to Defence Minister G Satheesh Reddy, who was present during the launch operations, said the success of guided Pinaka has shown the capability of the county in converting unguided systems into precision weapons.

DRDO Chairman S Christopher said it is an example of synergy between armed forces and DRDO.

The guided version of Pinaka has been developed jointly by Armament Research and Development Establishment, Pune, and Hyderabad-based Research Centre Imarat and Defence Research and Development Laboratory. Chandipur ITR provided the range and launch support.

Its first successful test flight was conducted from the same venue on January 12.