Published 16:43 IST, September 23rd 2020
Ahmednagar: DRDO test-fires laser-guided anti-tank missile, Defence Min praises success
Rajnath Singh lauded DRDO for successfully test-fired a Laser-Guided Anti Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) from an MBT Arjun Tank in Ahmednagar
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on Tuesday successfully test-fired a laser-guided Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) from an MBT Arjun Tank in Maharashtra's Ahmednagar. Laser-guided ATGMs lock and track the targets with the help of laser designation to ensure precision hit accuracy.
During the test at KK Ranges, Armoured Corps Centre and School (ACC&S), the ATGM successfully defeated a target located at 3 km, the Defence Ministry said.
Congratulating the DRDO for this achievement, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said India is proud of the agency's team which is "assiduously working towards reducing import dependency in the near future". The Modi government is looking to increase domestic production and procurement of such technologies as it aims to reduce dependence on Israeli, US and Russian imports.
The missile employs a tandem HEAT warhead to defeat Explosive Reactive Armour (ERA) protected armoured vehicles. It has been developed with multiple-platform launch capability and is currently undergoing technical evaluation trials from the gun of MBT Arjun.
The missile has been developed by Pune-based Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE) and High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL) in association with Instruments Research and Development Establishment (IRDE) Dehradun.
The primary purpose of ATGMs, which can be both medium and long-range, is to destroy armoured vehicles including tanks. The missiles use several types of guidance systems to do this, including laser, TV cameras and wire guiding. Some are flexible enough to be used via an aircraft, by the infantry and through land vehicles.
In July, 'Dhruvastra', an advanced variant of India’s indigenously built ATGM systems, was tested at the Integrated Test Range in Odisha’s Chandipur.
Successful flight test of ABHYAS
On Tuesday, the DRDO had also conducted a successful flight test of ABHYAS - High-speed Expendable Aerial Target (HEAT) from the Interim Test Range, Balasore in Odisha. During the trials, two demonstrator vehicles were successfully test flown.
According to the Ministry of Defence, ABHYAS is designed and developed by Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE) and DRDO. The air vehicle is launched using a twin underslung booster and is powered by a small gas turbine engine and has MEMS-based Inertial Navigation System (INS) for navigation along with the Flight Control Computer (FCC) for guidance and control. The vehicle is programmed for fully autonomous flight while check out of air vehicle is done using laptop-based Ground Control Station (GCS).
During the test campaign, the user requirement of 5 km flying altitude, vehicle speed of 0.5 Mach, an endurance of 30 minutes, and 2g turn capability of the test vehicle were successfully achieved.
(Image: PIB)
Updated 17:11 IST, September 23rd 2020