NEW DELHI: The DRDO on Wednesday successfully conducted a salvo launch of two Pralay missiles in quick succession from the same launcher. The test came a day after the successful maiden flight of the Pinaka Long Range Guided Rocket.
The Ministry of Defence said, “Both the missiles followed the intended trajectory, meeting all flight objectives as confirmed by tracking sensors deployed by the Integrated Test Range, Chandipur.”
The flight test was carried out off the coast of Odisha at about 10.30 am as part of the user evaluation trials. Pralay is an indigenously developed solid propellant quasi-ballistic missile that uses advanced guidance and navigation systems to ensure high precision. It can carry different types of warheads to engage a variety of targets.
The missile has been developed by Research Centre Imarat, Hyderabad, in collaboration with several DRDO laboratories, including Defence Research and Development Laboratory, Advanced Systems Laboratory, Armament Research and Development Establishment, High Energy Materials Research Laboratory, Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory, Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory, Research and Development Establishment Engineers and Integrated Test Range.
The Ministry of Defence said that for these tests, the systems were integrated by the two Development-cum-Production Partners. Senior DRDO scientists, representatives of armed forces, and industry representatives, witnessed the launch.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said the completion of the salvo launch of the Pralay missile has established the reliability of the system. DRDO Chairman and Secretary Department of Defence R&D, Dr Samir V Kamat, said the achievement shows the system is close to induction for users.
Earlier, the maiden flight test of the Pinaka Long Range Guided Rocket was successfully conducted at the Integrated Test Range, Chandipur. The rocket was tested for its maximum range of 120 kilometres and performed all planned in-flight manoeuvres. It hit the target with textbook precision.
The rocket was designed by the Armament Research and Development Establishment, in collaboration with the High Energy Materials Research Laboratory, and was supported by the Defence Research and Development Laboratory and Research Centre Imarat. The trial was coordinated by ITR and Proof and Experimental Establishment. It was launched from the in-service Pinaka launcher, showing that different Pinaka variants of varying ranges can be fired from the same launcher. The Indian Army plans to expand its deep and quick-strike capability, with the Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launcher system expected to reach 10 regiments by 2026.