Guided Pinaka Rockets Successfully Flight Tested By DRDO

India’s indigenous Pinaka multiple-barrel rocket launcher (MBRL) system has successfully completed its flight tests, according to a statement from the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on Thursday. The Pinaka, one of the Indian Army’s most powerful fire support systems, was first deployed during the 1999 Kargil War, where it caused extensive damage to enemy positions, marking its operational debut while still under development. Impressed by its effectiveness, the Indian Army opted to replace its Soviet-era GRAD BM-21 MBRLs with the Pinaka system.

A typical Pinaka MBRL unit comprises 18 launchers, each equipped with 12 tubes, enabling rapid fire. In just 44 seconds, the 216 tubes can unleash seven tonnes of explosives over a target situated 60 kilometers away, leaving enemy forces with little time to react. Named after Lord Shiva’s legendary bow, the Pinaka MBRL can come into and exit action in a mere three minutes.

The development of the Pinaka system has been led by two DRDO laboratories in Pune — the Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE) and the High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL) — with significant contributions from private sector firms, including Larsen & Toubro (L&T) and Tata Power Company Ltd (TPCL).

The original Pinaka Mark I, mounted on an 8x8 Tatra vehicle, had a range of 37.5 kilometers and an accuracy of 500 meters. However, following the Army’s demand for enhanced performance, the ARDE added a guidance kit to each rocket, resulting in the "Enhanced Pinaka" version in 2016. This upgraded model boasts a range of 75 kilometers and the ability to strike within 10 meters of its target, making it effective for precision strikes without risking troop deployments across the border.

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From 2006 to 2010, L&T and Tata Power delivered the first two regiments of the Pinaka system to the Army. In 2016, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) contracted for the Army’s third and fourth regiments, and in August 2020, a third order was placed for six additional regiments, bringing the total Pinaka inventory to ten units. These units will be equipped with the latest Pinaka-ER rockets, which are currently undergoing tests.

Further plans include the acquisition of 12 units of the advanced Pinaka Mark II MLRS, for which the MoD signed a Rs 2,580 crore contract in August 2020. The total cost of 22 Pinaka regiments is projected to reach Rs 21,000 crore. The Pinaka Mark II rockets will feature individual guidance systems and an onboard computer that monitors the flight path, making real-time corrections using thrust vectors.

In addition to L&T and Tata Power, other contributors to the Pinaka project include Bharat Earth Movers Ltd, Bharat Electronics Ltd, Tractors India Ltd, Armatic Engineering, Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd, Bharat Dynamics Ltd, Midhani, and ECIL, with limited foreign expertise from SAGEM (France) and Fuchs Electronics (South Africa).

After successful validation of the Pinaka MBRL’s performance, the DRDO transferred the technology for manufacturing its rocket ammunition to Economic Explosives, a Nagpur-based industry partner.

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