DRDO completes final trials of ULPGM-V3 missile

• Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully completed the final deliverable configuration development trials of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Launched Precision Guided Missile (ULPGM)-V3 in air-to-ground and air-to-air modes at DRDO test range near Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh. 

• The trials were carried out using an integrated Ground Control System (GCS) to command and control the ULPGM weapon system.

• The GCS features state-of-the-art technologies to automate readiness and launch operations. 

• The DRDO partnered with two production agencies — Bharat Dynamics Limited, Hyderabad and Adani Defence Systems & Technologies Limited, Hyderabad, for the development and production of the missiles.

• The system has been integrated with UAVs developed by Newspace Research and Technologies, Bengaluru, for current trials.

• The trials confirmed a fully mature domestic supply chain, equipped for immediate serial mass production.

• The ULPGM-V3 has been developed by Research Centre Imarat, Hyderabad, as the nodal lab, in collaboration with other DRDO laboratories, including Defence Research & Development Laboratory (DRDL), Hyderabad; Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory (TBRL), Chandigarh; and High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL), Pune.

• The missile has been produced entirely through the Indian defence ecosystem involving a large number of MSMEs and other industries.

• The missile is an enhanced version of the ULPGM-V2 missile developed and delivered by the DRDO earlier.

• The ULPGM-V3 is equipped with a high definition dual-channel seeker that can strike a wide variety of targets.

• It can be fired in plain and high-altitude areas.

• The missile has day-and-night capability and two-way data link to support post-launch target update.

The missile is equipped with three modular warhead options: 

i) Anti-armour to destroy modern age armoured vehicles equipped with Rolled Homogeneous Armour (RHA) with Explosive Reactive Armour (ERA).

ii) Penetration-cum-Blast warhead with Anti-Bunker application.

iii) Pre-fragmentation warhead with a high lethality zone.