Article Posted on : - Dec 20, 2019

A Pinaka missile is test-fired during a trial conducted by DRDO at Chandipur in Balasore district of Odisha, Friday, Dec 20, 2019. The mission objective of the trial was to test low range, functioning of live warhead along with its proximity initiation and salvo launch. Photo: PTI.

BALASORE, ODISHA (PTI):  India successfully conducted test firing of the indigenously developed Pinaka missile system for the second consecutive day on Friday from a base off the Odisha coast, as part of a series of flight trials, Defence sources said.

While the first trial was conducted on Thursday wherein one missile was fired at 75-kilometre range, the second flight test was successfully carried out on Friday from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur near here, a Defence statement said.

"The mission objective of today's trial was to test low range, functioning of live warhead along with its proximity initiation and salvo launch. Two Pinaka missiles were launched in salvo mode with 60 seconds interval between two firings," it said.

Both the missiles, capable of striking into enemy territory up to a range of 75 kilometres with high precision, were fired to engage a target located at 20-kilometre range and high accuracy was achieved, the statement said.

The missile was integrated with live warhead with proximity fuse and was tracked by multiple range systems including telemetry, radars and Electro-Optical Tracking System (EOTS), which confirmed the text book flight performance, it said.

The trial conducted on Friday was significant as it was carried out a day after a test of the state-of-the-art Artillery Missile System was conducted with perfection from the same range on Thursday.

Developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the Pinaka MK-II Rocket, is modified as a missile by integrating with the Navigation, Control and Guidance System to improve the end accuracy and enhance the range, sources said.

The Navigation system of the missile is also aided by the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS).

"The mission achieved all the objectives including enhancing the range, accuracy and sub-system functionality," the sources said.

The missile system has been jointly developed by various DRDO Laboratories such as Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE), Research Centre Imarat (RCI), Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), Proof and Experimental Establishment (PXE) and High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL).

Secretary of the Department of Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO Dr G Satheesh Reddy has congratulated the entire DRDO community for successful trials of the missiles.