BHUBANESWAR: India a on Thursday successfully conducted the final user trial of the third generation Anti Tank Guided Missile (AT GM) Nag from Pokhran range, indicating its induction in the armed forces soon. Developed by DRDO, the missile integrated with an actual warhead was launched from Nag Missile Carrier ‘NAMICA’ at about 6.45 am. It hit a tank target stationed at designated range defeating the armour accurately. The carrier is an upgraded infantry combat vehicle based system with amphibious capability. AT GM Nag has been designed and developed to destroy highly fortified enemy tanks in both day and night conditions.
The missile having both ‘Fire and Forget’ and ‘Top Attack’ capabilities with passive homing guidance can defeat all main battle tanks equipped with composite and reactive armour. “It was an excellent mission. With this final user trial, the missile will enter into the production phase. The missile will be inducted in the Army very soon,” a senior defence official told TNIE. The Indian Army has been awaiting the induction of the Nag missile since long. The missile, which is under development since 80s, had failed during user trials by the army in Rajasthan in 2012. The missile was then integrated with modified carrier NAMICA.
With an operational range of 500 metre to 4 km, the missile has a single-shot hit probability of 90 per cent. It has different variants - land, helicopter-launched Nag (HELINA) and man-portable (MPAT GM) besides the fourth generation Stand-off Anti-tank (SANT) guided missile for long distance airborne anti- armour role and an airlaunched version, which is now under development. The third-generation Nag uses an imaging infrared (IIR) seeker that locks on to the target before launch. The 1.85 metre long missile with a diameter of 0.2 metre weighs around 40 kg.
It uses solid propellant and can carry warheads up to 8 kg. It is one of the five missile systems developed by DRDO under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP). Defence PSU Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) and Ordinance Factory, Medak will produce the missile and NAMICA respectively. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated DRDO and Indian Army for the successful trial of Nag Missile. DRDO Chairman Dr G Satheesh Reddy appreciated the efforts of defence scientists, Indian Army and the Indian Industry in bringing the missile up to the production phase.