Pinaka (from Sanskrit: पिनाक, see Pinaka) is a multiple rocket launcher produced in India and developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for the Indian Army. It is also called India's Grad missile system as it's characteristics are derived from BM-21 Grad. The system has a maximum range of 45 km for Mark-I Enhanced and 90 km for Mark-II ER version, and can fire a salvo of 12 HE rockets per launcher 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 Pakistani positions on the mountain tops. It has since been inducted into the Indian Army in large numbers. In April 2013, inr 13888000000 was sanctioned for increasing the production capacity of Pinaka rockets from then 1,000 to 5,000 per year. Unutilised land of the Yantra India Limited was also being considered for further capacity expansion when production of advanced variants would commence. The expansion was completed by 2014.

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 (MoD) sanctioned two confidence building projects. In July 1983, the Army formulated their General Staff Qualitative Requirement (GSQR) for the system. In December 1986 MoD sanctioned inr 264700000. Armament Research & Development Establishment (ARDE) was appointed the System Coordinator for the project. The project included seven other laboratories DRDO like Combat Vehicles Research and Development Establishment (CVRDE), High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL) and Electronics and Radar Development Establishment (LRDE). DRDO was to fabricate seven launcher vehicles, of which six were to be supplied to the Army for user trials, three replenishment-cum-loader vehicles including two for the Army’s user trials, one command post vehicle. Induction was planned at the rate of one Regiment per year from 1994 onwards. This system would eventually replace the Grads.

Mark 1

Development began in December 1986, with a sanctioned budget of inr 264700000. The development was to be completed in December 1992. As per a report the prototype was rolled out by 1992. The user trials of the system by the Army began by February 1999 after the developmental trials. A section of two launchers were deployed in June of 1999 during the Kargil War under the 121 Rocket Regiment. The user trials ended in December 1999. The first order for full-rate production was placed with Ordnance Factory in 2007. 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. The rockets can also be guided by GPS to improve their accuracy. A wraparound microstrip antenna has been developed by DRDO for this system. To decrease single source dependency from Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) and increase competition in product pricing front, final developmental trials of Pinaka manufactured fully by Indian private sector Solar Industries under transfer-of-technology agreement from DRDO were successfully conducted by Indian Army at Pokhran Range on 19 August 2020. The trials of rockets developed by Economic Explosives Ltd. (subsidiary of Solar Industries Group) and Yantra India Limited-Munitions India Limited (YIL-MIL) are underway for two variants, Mk-I Enhanced and Mk-I ADM. The order for these variants are to be placed with one or two of the competitors in order to replace the shorter ranged Mk-I variant rockets.

Mark 2

Pinaka Mk II is being developed by Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE), Pune; Research Centre Imarat (RCI), Hyderabad; and Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), Hyderabad. Another variant of Mark II called Guided Pinaka is equipped with a navigation, guidance, control kit and has considerably enhanced the range and accuracy of the missile. The range of the missile is estimated to be between 60 km-75 km at all ranges. Sagem completed delivery of its Sigma 30 laser-gyro artillery navigation and pointing system for 2 of the Pinaka MBRL systems in June 2010. The Sigma 30 artillery navigation and pointing system is designed for high-precision firing at short notice. The systems would be integrated by Tata Power SED and Larsen & Toubro. The system was ordered in February 2008. Pinaka Mark 2 manufactured by Solar Industries completed User Assisted Technical Trial (UATT) on 8 December 2021 and will now go for user trial which will be completed by March 2022. While Yantra India Limited-Munitions India Limited (YIL-MIL) is developing prototype of Pinaka Mark 2 due to delay in transfer of technology by ARDE as of December 2021. As of September 2022, Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) has cleared the procurement proposal of induction of Guided Pinaka variant. The Flight Trials as part of Validation Trials were completed in November 2024.

Further development

In 2005, ARDE revealed about the development of a long range MRL similar to the Smerch MRLS. 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. On** 17 January 2024, reports revealed that DRDO is developing two new variants of Pinaka rockets, one with a range of 120 km and the other with a range of over 200 km. ** On 24 January 2024, few other reports revealed that the range of the rockets shall be 120 km and 300 km, respectively. The development of new variants have been approved by the Indian Army. While** the 120 km rocket is to have the same calibre as of the earlier variants (214 mm), enabling it to be fired from earlier launchers, the Preliminary Services Qualitative Requirements of the other variant is being chalked out. ** In September 2024, Lieutenant General Adosh Kumar, the Director General of the Regiment of Artillery, stated that future plans for the Pinaka include first doubling the range of the rockets, and then later increasing the range to almost four times the current range.

Ramjet propulsion

A group of researchers led by Lieutenant General P.R. Shankar, a professor in the aerospace department at IIT Madras and the former Director General of Artillery for the Indian Army Combat and Combat Support Arms, are developing ramjet propulsion technology that will be incorporated into the Pinaka rockets. It is anticipated that the range of 210–214 mm rocket will increase at 225–250 km with the addition of ramjet propulsion, all the while preserving the operational flexibility of the system.

Testing

Details

Pinaka is a complete MBRL system, each Pinaka battery consists of: six launcher vehicles, each with 12 rockets; six loader-replenishment vehicles; six replenishment vehicles; two Command Post vehicle (one stand by) with a Fire Control computer, and the DIGICORA MET radar (meteorological radar, provides data on winds). 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 of 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.

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 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 inr 23000000 per system compared to the M270 which costs inr 195000000. Salient features

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. While 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 SED, Larsen & Toubro, Solar Industries, Munitions India Limited and Yantra India Limited. As of August 2024, of the total Pinaka systems in service with the Army, Tata has delivered 40 launchers and 8 Command Posts. Another 36 launchers were also on order with the same firm.

Deployment

Each Pinaka regiment consists of three batteries of six Pinaka launchers (total of 18 launchers); each of which is capable of launching 12 rockets with a range of 40+ km in a space of 44 seconds. In addition to these, a regiment also has support vehicles, a radar and a command post. The Pinaka will operate in conjunction with the Indian Army's Firefinder radars and Swathi Weapon Locating Radar of which 36 are in service and 6 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 Reconnaissance and Observation System which is a combination of FLIR/CCD system for long range day/night surveillance. In February 2000, the first Pinaka regiment was raised. The first two regiments of Pinaka were inducted by 2010. As of 2016, the Indian Army had plans to operate 10 regiments by 2022 and further increase the numbers to 22 regiments within 2032. The Pinaka system will replace the older Grad MLRS regiments are being retired. As of November 2024, 4 regiments of Pinaka have been inducted by the Army. More than 72 launcher units are active. 6 more regiments were ordered in 2020. It was reported in March 2024, that the Army plans to raise 2 more Pinaka regiments by the end of year along Line of Actual Control. Pinaka, Pralay, Nirbhay and BrahMos will become part of the Integrated Rocket Force (IRF), a separate entity from Strategic Forces Command (SFC).

Exports

Armenia signed a combined deal worth inr 20000000000 for 4 Pinaka batteries and other defense equipment. The order includes supplies of extended range and guided rocket for Pinaka system in the future. The order has been supplied in July 2023. The deliveries were concluded by November 2024. Indonesia and Nigeria have also shown interest in Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launcher. According to a report in 2024, some Southeast Asian and European nations has also shown interest to acquire Pinaka MBRL and Netra AEW&C. On 9 November 2024, Brigadier General Stephane Richou confirmed to Asian News International about the French Army evaluating Pinaka MBRL system for their requirement. This was mentioned during the visit of the high-ranking official who said that that "two countries share much more than just a business relationship and want to cooperate more".

Specifications

Operators

Potential Operators