Pinaka missile system successfully flight-tested for 2nd day

Balasore (Odisha): India’s indigenously developed Pinaka missile system, which is capable of striking up to range of 75 kilometres, was successfully flight-tested for the second consecutive day on Friday, in a boost to its artillery power, defence sources said.

Developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the Pinaka MK-II rocket is modified as a missile by integrating the navigation, control and guidance system to improve the end accuracy and enhance the range, they said.

The missile system, capable of striking into enemy territory up to a range of 75 kilometres with high precision, was fired from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur near here, the defence 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.

A similar test of the artillery missile system was conducted on Thursday.

The missile was fired from Pinaka launcher system in deployment configuration. The flight article was tracked by multiple range systems like telemetry, radars and electro-optical targeting system (EOTS), which confirmed the text book flight performance, sources said.

Earlier in March, three successful trials of the Pinaka guided rocket system were conducted from Pokhran test range in Rajasthan.