PINAKA Rocket System – Enhanced Version 2020 | UPSC
HEADLINES:
Enhanced version of PINAKA Rocket System successfully Flight Tested
WHY IN NEWS:
Hot from PIB !
SYLLABUS COVERED: GS 3: Defence
LEARNING:
For PRELIMS go through the facts and write down in your Prelims book today .
For MAINS nothing much here . Let us dive in !
ISSUE:
PINAKA ROCKET SYSTEM
- PINAKA is an indigenously developed rocket system named after Lord Shiva’s bow.
- Its role in the battlefield and importance of the latest acquisition, which will be complete by 2024.
- A total of six rockets were launched in quick succession and the tests met complete mission objectives.
THREE PROMINENT NAMES IN DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT
- Armament Research and Development Establishment, ARDE
- High Energy Materials Research Laboratory, HEMRL.
- Pune based DRDO laboratories.
MANUFACTURING BASE
- All the flight articles were tracked by Range instruments such as telemetry, radar and Electro Optical Tracking Systems which confirmed the flight performance.
- Enhanced version of the Pinaka rocket would replace the existing Pinaka Mk-I rockets which are currently under production
THE ORIGIN
- In the battlefield, long range artillery systems like Pinaka are used for attacking the adversary targets , armoured elements and the infantry.
- The development of the Pinaka was started by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in the late 1980s
- After successful tests of Pinaka Mark-1 in the late 1990, it was first used in the battlefield during the Kargil War of 1999, quite successfully.
- Subsequently multiple regiments of the system came up over the 2000s.
VERSIONS AND CAPABILITIES
- The Pinaka, which is primarily a multi-barrel rocket system (MBRL) system, can fire a salvo of 12 rockets over a period of 44 seconds.
- One battery of Pinaka system consists of six launch vehicles.
- One battery can neutralise an area one kilometre by one kilometre.
- As a key tactic of long range artillery battle, the launchers have to ‘shoot and scoot’ to ensure they themselves do not become the targets, especially due to its back blast.
- Thus the launcher vehicles are required to have a high degree of maneuverability.
RANGE
- The Mark-II version of the rocket has been modified as a guided missile system by integrating it with the navigation, control and guidance system .
- Thus this improves the end accuracy and increase the range.
- In comparison to artillery guns, rockets are less accurate, but with addition of guidance and navigation systems, this aspect is taken care of.
WARHEAD
- With its upgrades, the Pinaka Mark-II can be a key element in the “network centric warfare”.
- The rocket system can operate various modes and can carry different types of warheads.
ENHANCED VERSION
- The enhanced range version of the weapon can destroy targets at a distance beyond 45 km.
- Six rockets were launched in quick succession and the test met complete mission objectives-DRDO
IASbhai WINDUP:
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) on Monday announced that it’s acquisition wing had signed contracts with three Indian companies for supply of six regiments of the Pinaka Rocket System to be deployed along borders with Pakistan and China.
SOURCES: THE HINDU & PIB DownToEarth | PINAKA Rocket System – Enhanced Version 2020 | UPSC
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