DRDO conducts successful flight-test of Pinaka Long Range Guided Rocket

• Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) conducted a successful flight-test of Pinaka Long Range Guided Rocket (LRGR) at the Integrated Test Range, Chandipur in Odisha.

• The rocket was tested for a user-defined minimum range of 60 km.

• Demonstrating all in-flight manoeuvres as planned, the LRGR impacted on the target with “textbook precision” exactly following the predicted trajectory. 

• All the deployed range instruments tracked the flight throughout its trajectory.

• The Pinaka LRGR rocket is designed by Armament Research and Development Establishment in association with High Energy Materials Research Laboratory, with support from Defence Research and Development Laboratory and Research Centre Imarat.

• The flight trial was coordinated by ITR and Proof & Experimental Establishment. 

• The rocket was launched from the in-service Pinaka launcher demonstrating its versatility and providing launch capability of Pinaka variants of different ranges from the same launcher.

(The author is a trainer for Civil Services aspirants.)