NAGPUR: City’s Solar Group on Friday successfully test-fired enhanced range version of Pinaka rockets, which has been co-developed by the company along with Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE) — an arm of the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO).
The enhanced range rockets can fire up to 45km as against the extended range version, which can fire up to 40km.
The successful test clears the way for the company to participate in request for proposal (RFP), which may be floated by the Army in coming days for buying the rockets.
Solar Group’s defence business is undertaken by its 100% subsidiary Economic Explosives Limited (EEL).
This is the first private entity to have co-developed the artillery rocket system along with the ARDE and High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL).
This means the company has invested into the development of the rockets.
Being a co-developer, Solar Group gets first exclusive production right for the system.
The company has invested around Rs45 crore in the co-development project, said a source.
On Friday, Solar’s 25 rockets of 122mm were fired from a mutli-barrel launcher at the integrated test range in Chandipur in Odisha.
The rockets fired in quick succession were aimed at targets at different ranges.
“All the mission objectives were met during the launches, the flight articles were tracked by range instruments including telemetry, radar and electro optical tracking system,” said a note shared by the company.
Apart from the 25 enhanced range rockets, four of Pinaka extended range rockets, which can destroy a target up to 40km, were fired too.
The mission objectives were met, said the note.
The two rockets are slated to replace the existing Pinaka MK1 rockets, at present being used by the Army.
The MK1 are also made by the ordnance factories.
The first stage tests took place during November last year.
On Friday, the last stage of the DRDO level tests were completed.
Now, the Army can take up its user trials on initiating the procurement process by floating RFPs.
The user trials are expected to happen after the RFP is floated.
Being a co-developer of the rocket systems gives an advantage to Solar Group.
The company, which has emerged as a major private sector entity for making ammunitions, is also expected to hold user trials for 81mm calibre of mortar shell in a week.
Solar Group, which has bagged the order to make the latest multimodal hand-grenades for the Army, is also the first private company to make the product.
The delivery of the first batch is expected soon.
The multimodal grenades will be replacing the World War II design M36 grenades.