India successfully test-fires Pinaka, Enhanced Range 122mm Caliber rockets

India: The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on Friday announced that it has successfully test-fired extended range version of indigenously developed Pinaka rocket from a Multi-Barrel Rocket Launcher (MBRL) on June 24-25 from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) in Chandipur off Odisha coast.

“Twenty-five enhanced Pinaka Rockets were launched in quick succession against targets at different ranges. All the mission objectives were met during the launches. The enhanced range version of Pinaka Rocket System can destroy targets at distances up to 45 kilometres. All the flight articles were tracked by Range instruments including Telemetry, Radar and Electro Optical Tracking System deployed by ITR and Proof and Experimental Establishment (PXE),” the Defence Ministry said in a statement.

The enhanced rocket system was developed jointly by the Pune-based Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE) and the High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL), with manufacturing assistance from Economic Explosives Ltd in Nagpur. The development of the Pinaka defence system was done to achieve longer range performance.