Chandipur, Odisha: Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has successfully flight-tested the Pinaka Missile System Thursday at 12 noon off Odisha coast from the Integrated Test Range, Chandipur.  The Pinaka is an Artillery Missile System capable of striking into enemy territory up to a range of 75 kilometres with high precision.

The Pinaka MK-II Rocket is modified as a missile by integrating with the Navigation, Control and Guidance System to improve the end accuracy and enhance the range. The Navigation system of the missile is also aided by the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS).

The mission achieved all the objectives including enhancing the range, accuracy and sub-system functionality. The missile was fired from Pinaka launcher system in the deployment configuration. The flight article was tracked by multiple range of systems viz. Telemetry, Radars, Electro-optical targeting system (EOTS), etc. which confirmed the textbook flight performance.

The missile system has been jointly developed by various DRDO Laboratories viz. Armament Research & Development Establishment (ARDE), Research Centre Imarat (RCI), Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), Proof & Experimental Establishment (PXE) and High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL).

The trial was conducted under the supervision of Director RCI BHVS Narayana Murthy, Director ARDE Dr V Venkateswara Rao, Director ITR Dr BK Das, and Director PXE Shri DK Joshi.

Secretary Department of Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO Dr G Satheesh Reddy congratulated the teams involved in the flight trial.