Pinaka multi barrel rocket launcher

Pinaka is a multiple rocket launcher produced in India and developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for the Indian Army. The system has a maximum range of 40 km for Mark-I and 65 km for Mark-II,^[4] and can fire a salvo of 12 HE rockets in 44 seconds. The system is mounted on a Tatra truck for mobility. Pinaka saw service during the Kargil War, where it was successful in neutralising enemy positions on the mountain tops. It has since been inducted into the Indian Army in large numbers.^[5][6]

As of 2014, about 5,000 missiles are being produced every year while an advanced variant is under development with enhanced range and accuracy.^[7]

Development

The Indian Army operates the Russian BM-21 'Grad' Launchers. In 1981, in response to the Indian Army's need for a long range artillery system, the Indian Ministry of Defence sanctioned two confidence building projects. In July 1983, the Army formulated their General Staff Qualitative Requirement (GSQR) for the system, with planned induction of one Regiment per year from 1994 onwards. This system would eventually replace the Grads.

Development began in December 1986, with a sanctioned budget of ₹ 26.47 crore. The development was to be completed in December 1992. Armament Research and Development Establishment, a Pune-based DRDO laboratory, led the development of the system.^[8]

Details

Pinaka is a complete MBRL system, each Pinaka battery consists of: six launcher vehicles, each with 12 rockets; six loader-replenishment vehicles; three replenishment vehicles; two Command Post vehicle (one stand by) with a Fire Control computer, and the DIGICORA MET radar. A battery of six launchers can neutralise an area of 1,000 m × 800 m.

The Army generally deploys a battery that has a total of 72 rockets. All the 72 rockets can be fired in 44 seconds, taking out an area of 1 km². Each launcher can fire in a different direction too. The system has the flexibility to fire all the rockets in one go or only a few.^[9]

This is made possible with a fire control computer. There is a command post linking together all the six launchers in a battery. Each launcher has an individual computer, which enables it to function autonomously in case it gets separated from the other five vehicles in a war.^[9]

K J Daniel, Project Director, Pinaka, calls it “a system” and explains how massive each system is. A Pinaka battery has six launchers, six loader vehicles, six replenishment vehicles, two vehicles for ferrying the command post and a vehicle for carrying the meteorological radar, which will provide data on winds.^[9]

Modes of operation

The launcher can operate in the following modes:

Autonomous mode. The launcher is fully controlled by a fire control computer (FCC). The microprocessor on the launcher automatically executes the commands received from the FCC, giving the operator the status of the system on displays and indicators.^[10]

Stand-alone mode: In this mode, the launcher is not linked to the FCC operator, and the operator at the console enters all the commands for laying of the launcher system and selection of firing parameters.^[10]

Remote mode: In this mode, a remote control unit carried outside the cabin up to a distance of about 200 m can be used to control the launcher system, the launcher site and to unload the fired rocket pods from the launcher.^[10]

Manual mode: All launcher operations including laying of the system and firing are manually controlled. This mode is envisaged in the situations where the microprocessor fails or where there is no power to activate the microprocessor-based operator’s console.^[10]

The Pinaka was tested in the Kargil conflict and proved its effectiveness. Since then it has been inducted into the Indian Army and series production has been ordered. The Pinaka MBRL is stated to be cheaper than other systems. It costs ₹ 2.3 crore per system compared to the M270 which costs ₹ 19.5 crore.

Salient features^[10]

• Use of state-of-the-art technologies for improved combat performance
• Total operational time optimised for shoot & scoot capability
• Cabin pressurisation for crew protection in addition to blast shields
• Microprocessor-based fully automatic positioning and fire control console
• Night vision devices for driver and crew
• Neutralisation/destruction of the exposed troop concentrations, ‘B’ vehicles and other such soft targets
• Neutralisation of enemy guns/rocket locations
• Laying of anti-personnel and anti-tank mines at a short notice.

Orders

The Pinaka project has been a significant success for the DRDO and its development partners in developing and delivering a state of the art, high value project to the Indian Army's demanding specifications. Whilst DRDO was responsible for the overall design and development, its partners played a significant role in developing important subsystems and components. They include Tata Power Co Ltd Strategic Electronic Division (Tata Power SED) and Larsen & Toubro Ltd to state owned Ordnance Factories Board, for the rockets as well as other private and public firms.

The first Pinaka regiment was raised on February 2000. Each regiment consists of three batteries of six Pinakas each, plus reserves.^[11] On 29 March 2006, the Indian Army awarded Tata Power SED and Larsen & Toubro's Heavy Engineering Division a contract worth ₹ 200 crore (US $45 million), to produce 40 Pinaka MBRLs each. Tata Power SED declared that it would be delivering the first units within six months.^[12] The Indian Army has placed an intent for Pinaka Weapon System worth ₹ 1,300 crores.^[13]

On 29 October 2015, the Defence Acquisition Council chaired by the Defence Minister of India, cleared purchase of two more Pinaka regiments at a cost of INR.3,300 crores (US$500 million). On March 18, 2016, the Cabinet Committee on Security(CCS) cleared the purchase of two additional Pinaka regiments.^[14] To supplement the earlier 4 regiments, an order for additional six regiments was cleared by the Defence Acquisition Council on 7 November 2016.^[15]

Deployment

The Pinaka will be operated in conjunction with the Indian Army's Firefinder radars and indigenously developed BEL Weapon Locating Radar of which 28 are on order. The Indian Army is networking all its artillery units together with the DRDO's Artillery Command & Control System (ACCS), which acts as a force multiplier. The ACCS is now in series production. The Pinaka units will also be able to make use of the Indian Army's SATA (Surveillance & Target Acquisition) Units which have been improved substantially throughout the late 1990s, with the induction of the Searcher-1, Searcher-2 and IAI Heron UAVs into the Indian Army, as well as the purchase of a large number of both Israeli made and Indian made Battle Field Surveillance radars. These have also been coupled with purchases of the Israeli LORROS (Long Range Observation and Sighting System) which is a combination of FLIR/CCD system for long range day/night surveillance.^[16]

Presently, three regiments of Pinaka have now been inducted by the Army. The Indian Army will induct an additional number of regiments of the Pinaka during its next planning period (2012–2017) as the older Grad MLRS regiments are retired.

Plans

The Pinaka is in the process of further improvement. Israel Military Industries teamed up with DRDO to implement its Trajectory Correction System (TCS) on the Pinaka, for further improvement of its CEP. This has been trialled and has shown excellent results.^[17] The rockets can also be guided by GPS to improve their accuracy. A wraparound microstrip antenna has been developed by DRDO for this system.^[18]

While the Pinaka will not be developed further into a larger system, its success and the experience gained from the programme has led the ARDE and its partner organisations, to launch a project to develop a long range MRL similar to the Smerch MLRS. A 7.2-metre rocket for the Pinaka MBRL, which can reach a distance of 120 km and carry a 250 kg payload will be developed. These new rockets can be fired in 44 seconds, have a maximum speed of mach 4.7, rise to an altitude of 40 km before hitting its target at Mach 1.8. Integrating UAVs with the Pinaka is also in the pipeline, as DRDO intends to install guidance systems on these rockets to increase their accuracy. Sagem completed delivery of its Sigma 30 laser-gyro artillery navigation and pointing system to be equipped with the Pinaka multiple launch rocket system in June 2010.^[19] The Sigma 30 artillery navigation and pointing system is designed for high-precision firing at short notice. Successful testing was conducted at the Chandipur Test Range in January 2013,^[20] and another successful test of the Pinaka Mk-II, which has range more than 60 km, was conducted on 20 December 2013.^[21] On 20-23 May 2016, four rounds of the Pinaka Mk-II were successfully fired from the test range of Proof and Experimental Establishment (PXE) at Chandipur-on-sea for testing a new guidance system.^[22][23]

Specifications

References

External links

• Pinaka MRLS Indian Military.org
• Pinaka MBRL (PDF), DRDO Technology Focus, December 2006 .
• Pinaka: First private product ready to fire
• Tata, L&T bag orders for Pinaka rocket launcher
• Gallery of Pinaka prototypes and technical details at Acig.org
• BEML bags big defence vehicle deal
• Rediff news article on Pinaka test
• Dated article on the Pinaka
• Tata Power SED Weapon Systems
• Pinaka MBRL
• Pinaka MBRL, Times Now, April 9, 2008