Source : Financial Express
Anti-Tank Guided Missiles HELINA and Dhruvastra completes all trials: Induction soon
India’s indigenous Nag anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) has cleared all the trials, according to the reports.
Indigenously developed helicopter-launched Anti-Tank Guided Missile ‘HELINA’ has completed all the trials, according to the officials from the Ministry of Defence. The missile is guided by an Imaging Infra-Red (IIR) Seeker operating in the Lock on Before Launch mode. It is one of the most advanced anti-tank weapons in the world.
A variant of HELINA Weapon System called DHRUVASTRA is also being inducted into the Indian Air Force (IAF).
Earlier in 2022, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully flight tested at high-altitude ranges as part of user validation trials. The flight test was jointly conducted by teams of scientists from DRDO, the Indian army and the Indian air force.
The flight trials were conducted from an Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH). The test involved the firing and engaging of a simulated tank target.
Post trials and validation from the army and IAF, the government is poised for induction into the Indian Army, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
Further, in continuation to validation trials conducted at Pokhran in Rajasthan, it also paves the way for its integration on the ALH.
The Nag ATGM is ready for induction into the Indian Army after completing all required flight and user trials. “We [DRDO] are now awaiting an order from the Indian Army,” the official said.
According to the DRDO, the Nag missile is a fire-and-forget, third-generation ATGM.
According to the DRDO, the operational range of the Nag is up to 4 km and it is equipped with a tandem high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) warhead.
The missile has a length of 1.834 m, a diameter of 0.158 m, and a weight of 44 kg. The Nag ATGM has also been mounted to helicopters. In this configuration, the ATGM system is known as HELINA. Anti-Tank Guided Missiles HELINA and Dhruvastra completes all trials Anti-Tank Guided Missiles HELINA and Dhruvastra completes all trials Anti-Tank Guided Missiles HELINA and Dhruvastra completes all trials IgMp
