Pinaka Multi Barrel Rocket Launcher
Encyclopedia
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 39–40 km and can fire a salvo
of 12 HE
rockets in 44 seconds, neutralizing a target area of 3.9 km2. The system is mounted on a Tatra truck for mobility.
Pinaka is the name of the bow of Shiva
.
Pinaka saw service during the Kargil War
, where it was successful in neutralizing enemy positions on the mountain tops. It has since been inducted into the Indian Army in large numbers.
'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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 23 million per system compared to the M270 which costs 195 million.
Salient features
Power Co. Ltd. Strategic Electronic Division (Tata Power SED
)and Larsen & Toubro
Ltd. to state owned Ordnance Factory 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. On March 29, 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. The Indian Army has placed an indent for Pinaka Weapon System worth 1300 crores.
, 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.
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.
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. The rockets can also be guided by GPS to improve their accuracy. A wraparound microstrip antenna has been developed by DRDO for this system.
While the Pinaka will not be developed further into a larger system, its success and the experience gained from the program has led the ARDE
and its partner organizations, to launch a project to develop a long range MBRL in the class of the Smerch MBRL
. A 7.2-metre rocket for the Pinaka MBRL, which can reach a distance of 120 km and carry a 250 kg payload. 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 and can destroy an area of 3.9 km2. Integrating UAV
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. The Sigma 30 artillery navigation and pointing system is designed for high-precision firing at short notice. Development and trials will continue and the rocket is expected to enter user trial by 2012.
Warheads:
Launcher
Rate of Fire for a complete salvo from a launcher:
Salvo Reload time
CEP
Multiple rocket launcher
A multiple rocket launcher is a type of unguided rocket artillery system. Like other rocket artillery, multiple rocket launchers are less accurate and have a much lower rate of fire than batteries of traditional artillery guns...
produced in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation
Defence Research and Development Organisation
The Defence Research and Development Organisation is a agency of the Republic of India, responsible for the development of technology for use by the military, headquartered in New Delhi, India...
(DRDO) for the Indian Army
Indian Army
The Indian Army is the land based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. With about 1,100,000 soldiers in active service and about 1,150,000 reserve troops, the Indian Army is the world's largest standing volunteer army...
. The system has a maximum range of 39–40 km and can fire a salvo
Salvo
A salvo is the simultaneous discharge of artillery or firearms including the firing of guns either to hit a target or to perform a salute.Troops armed with muzzleloaders required time in which to refill their arms with gun powder and shot...
of 12 HE
Explosive material
An explosive material, also called an explosive, is a reactive substance that contains a great amount of potential energy that can produce an explosion if released suddenly, usually accompanied by the production of light, heat, sound, and pressure...
rockets in 44 seconds, neutralizing a target area of 3.9 km2. The system is mounted on a Tatra truck for mobility.
Pinaka is the name of the bow of Shiva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
.
Pinaka saw service during the Kargil War
Kargil War
The Kargil War ,, also known as the Kargil conflict, was an armed conflict between India and Pakistan that took place between May and July 1999 in the Kargil district of Kashmir and elsewhere along the Line of Control...
, where it was successful in neutralizing enemy positions on the mountain tops. It has since been inducted into the Indian Army in large numbers.
Development
The Indian Army operates the Russian BM-21BM-21
The BM-21 launch vehicle , a Soviet truck-mounted 122 mm multiple rocket launcher, and a M-21OF rocket were developed in the early 1960s. BM stands for boyevaya mashina, ‘combat vehicle’, and the nickname means ‘hail’. The complete system with the BM-21 launch vehicle and the M-21OF rocket...
'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
Armament Research and Development Establishment
Armament Research & Development Establishment is a laboratory of the Defence Research and Development Organisation . Located in Pune, it is the main DRDO lab involved in the development of Conventional Armaments.- History :...
, a Pune
Pune
Pune , is the eighth largest metropolis in India, the second largest in the state of Maharashtra after Mumbai, and the largest city in the Western Ghats. Once the centre of power of the Maratha Empire, it is situated 560 metres above sea level on the Deccan plateau at the confluence of the Mula ...
-based DRDO laboratory, led the development of the system.
Details
Pinaka is a complete MBRL system, each Pinaka battery consists of: six launcher vehicles, each with 12 rockets; six loader-cum-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 neutralize an area of 1000 m x 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The Pinaka was tested in the Kargil conflict
Kargil War
The Kargil War ,, also known as the Kargil conflict, was an armed conflict between India and Pakistan that took place between May and July 1999 in the Kargil district of Kashmir and elsewhere along the Line of Control...
and proved its effectiveness. Since then it has been inducted into the Indian Army
Indian Army
The Indian Army is the land based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. With about 1,100,000 soldiers in active service and about 1,150,000 reserve troops, the Indian Army is the world's largest standing volunteer army...
and series production has been ordered. The Pinaka MBRL is stated to be cheaper than other systems. It costs 23 million per system compared to the M270 which costs 195 million.
Salient features
- 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 antipersonnel and antitank 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 TataTata Power
Tata Power is India’s oldest and largest private sector power utility with an installed generation capacity of over 2977 MW.On the 22 March 2011 it has announced partnership with Sunengy an Australian firm, to build India's first floating solar plant....
Power Co. Ltd. Strategic Electronic Division (Tata Power SED
Tata Power SED
Tata Power Strategic Electronics Division is a unit of Tata Power, a diversified company of the Tata Group.-Pinaka MBRL:Tata Power SED is the lead contractor along with Larsen & Toubro Limited for the Pinaka Multi Barrel Rocket Launcher system...
)and Larsen & Toubro
Larsen & Toubro
Larsen & Toubro Limited is an Indian multinational conglomerate company headquartered in Mumbai, India. The company has four main business sectors: technology, engineering, construction and manufacturing. L&T has an international presence, with a global spread of offices and factories, further...
Ltd. to state owned Ordnance Factory 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. On March 29, 2006, the Indian Army
Indian Army
The Indian Army is the land based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. With about 1,100,000 soldiers in active service and about 1,150,000 reserve troops, the Indian Army is the world's largest standing volunteer army...
awarded Tata Power SED and Larsen & Toubro
Larsen & Toubro
Larsen & Toubro Limited is an Indian multinational conglomerate company headquartered in Mumbai, India. The company has four main business sectors: technology, engineering, construction and manufacturing. L&T has an international presence, with a global spread of offices and factories, further...
'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. The Indian Army has placed an indent for Pinaka Weapon System worth 1300 crores.
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 beefed up substantially throughout the late 1990s, with the induction of the Searcher-1IAI Searcher
|-See also:-References:This article contains material that originally came from the web article by Greg Goebel, which exists in the Public Domain....
, Searcher-2
IAI Searcher
|-See also:-References:This article contains material that originally came from the web article by Greg Goebel, which exists in the Public Domain....
and IAI Heron
IAI Heron
The IAI Heron is a Medium-altitude long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle developed by the Malat division of Israel Aerospace Industries. It is capable of Medium Altitude Long Endurance operations of up to 52 hours' duration at up to 35,000 feet...
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
LORROS
Long-Range Reconnaissance and Observation System or LORROS is a sensor system developed by Elbit Systems to provide long-range daytime and night-time surveillance. The unit consists of FLIR and CCD image sensors. Optional components include eyesafe laser rangefinder, built-in compass and...
(Long Range Observation and Sighting System) which is a combination of FLIR/CCD
Charge-coupled device
A charge-coupled device is a device for the movement of electrical charge, usually from within the device to an area where the charge can be manipulated, for example conversion into a digital value. This is achieved by "shifting" the signals between stages within the device one at a time...
system for long range day/night surveillance.
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 IndustriesIsrael Military Industries
Israel Weapons Industries , formerly the "Magen" division of the Israel Military Industries Ltd. is an Israeli firearms manufacturer. In 2005, the Small Arms Division of IMI was privatized....
teamed up with DRDO to implement its Trajectory Correction System (TCS) on the Pinaka, for further improvement of its CEP
Circular error probable
In the military science of ballistics, circular error probable is an intuitive measure of a weapon system's precision...
. This has been trialled and has shown excellent results. The rockets can also be guided by GPS to improve their accuracy. A wraparound microstrip antenna has been developed by DRDO for this system.
While the Pinaka will not be developed further into a larger system, its success and the experience gained from the program has led the ARDE
Armament Research and Development Establishment
Armament Research & Development Establishment is a laboratory of the Defence Research and Development Organisation . Located in Pune, it is the main DRDO lab involved in the development of Conventional Armaments.- History :...
and its partner organizations, to launch a project to develop a long range MBRL in the class of the Smerch MBRL
BM-30
The BM-30 Smerch or 9A52 is a Soviet heavy multiple rocket launcher. The system is designed to defeat personnel, armored, and soft-skinned targets in concentration areas, artillery batteries, command posts and ammunition depots. It was created in the early 1980s and entered service in the Soviet...
. A 7.2-metre rocket for the Pinaka MBRL, which can reach a distance of 120 km and carry a 250 kg payload. 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 and can destroy an area of 3.9 km2. Integrating UAV
Unmanned aerial vehicle
An unmanned aerial vehicle , also known as a unmanned aircraft system , remotely piloted aircraft or unmanned aircraft, is a machine which functions either by the remote control of a navigator or pilot or autonomously, that is, as a self-directing entity...
with the Pinaka is also in the pipeline, as DRDO intends to install guidance systems on these rockets to increase their accuracy. Sagem
SAGEM
SAGEM was a major French company involved in defence electronics, consumer electronics and communication systems.In 2005, Sagem merged with SNECMA to form SAFRAN...
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. The Sigma 30 artillery navigation and pointing system is designed for high-precision firing at short notice. Development and trials will continue and the rocket is expected to enter user trial by 2012.
Specifications
- Range: 7 km - 40 km (4.4 - 26 mi)
- Rocket Diameter: 214 mm (8.42 in)
- Length: 4.95 m (16.24 ft)
- Warhead weight: 100 kg (220 lbs)
- Total weight: 276 kg (608 lbs)
Warheads:
- Fragmentation high explosive
- Incendiary
- Anti-Tank and Anti-Personnel minelettes
- Anti-Tank bomblettes
Launcher
- Based on a Kolos TatraTatra (car)Tatra is a vehicle manufacturer in Kopřivnice, Czech Republic. The company was founded in 1850 as Schustala & Company later renamed Nesselsdorfer Wagenbau-Fabriksgesellschaft, a wagon and carriage manufacturer, and in 1897 produced the first motor car in central Europe, the Präsident. In 1918, it...
truck for high mobility. The truck is license manufactured by BEMLBEMLBharat Earth Movers Limited now known as BEML is an Indian Public Sector Undertaking, with headquarters in Bangalore. It manufactures a variety of heavy equipment, such as that used for earth moving, transport and mining....
. - The truck features a central type regulation system; the driver can adjust the tire pressure to suit the terrain for optimum mobility.
- Two rocket pods per launcher, with a total of twelve rockets between them.
- A total of six launchers per battery.
- Launchers are NBC protected, have their own computerized fire control system, and automatic positioning system.
- The Pinaka system and the launchers are designed for shoot and scoot fire missions thanks to the use of an inertial navigation systemInertial navigation systemAn inertial navigation system is a navigation aid that uses a computer, motion sensors and rotation sensors to continuously calculate via dead reckoning the position, orientation, and velocity of a moving object without the need for external references...
SIGMA 30. - A battery of six launchers can neutralize an area of roughly 1000 * 800 meters at 40 km range.
- The launcher assembly has electromagnetic elevation and traverse, with traverse being 90º left and right of the centerline and elevation up to 55º
Rate of Fire for a complete salvo from a launcher:
- Approximately 44 seconds.
Salvo Reload time
- 4 minutes.
CEP
- 1-2% of range
- Improved substantially when Trajectory Correction System was incorporated.
External links
- Pinaka MRLS Indian Military.org
- Pinaka - Bharat Rakshak Updated: April 2, 2006
- 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
Video
- Pinaka MBRL
- Pinaka MBRL, Times Now, April 9, 2008