In a significant stride taken towards bolstering India’s defence capabilities, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has achieved a major milestone with the successful trails of the Man Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM) weapon system. The trials which took place at the Pokhran Field Firing Range (PFFR) in Rajasthan under the scrutiny of the user team.
The MPTAGM weapon system has been evaluated in different flight configurations several times with an objective of proving the technology with high superiority, the defence ministry said.
The missile’s performance coupled with the efficacy of its warhead garnered praise during the trials. Designed and developed domestically by the DRDO, the MPATGM Weapon System comprises the MPATGM itself, the Man Portable Launcher, the Target Acquisition System (TAS) and the Fire Control Unit (FCU).
The trials have demonstrated the system’s ability to operate within the complete operation. of envelope as per the General Staff Qualitative Requirements (GSQR) set by the Indian Army. Of particular note is the successful completion of penetration trials for the Tandem Warhead System of the MPATGM affirming its capability to defeat modern armour protected Main Battle Tanks (MBTs).
Equipped with day and night top attack capabilities, the Anti-Tank Guided Missile System boasts a dual mode seeker functionality enhancing its effectiveness in tank warfare scenarios. “The dual mode seeker functionality is a great value addition to the missile for tank warfare.
With this technology development and successful demonstrations have been concluded and the system is now ready for the final user trials leading towards its induction into the Indian Army,” the ministry said. DRDO Chairman Samir Kamat congratulated the teams associated with the trials.
With the conclusion of technology development and successful demonstrations, the MPATGM system now awaits further user evaluation trails before induction into the Indian Army heralding a significant step and leap towards self-reliance in defence manufacturing as emphasised by Defence Minster Rajnath Singh.
Expressing condemnation for the DRDO and the Indian Army, Minister Singh hailed the successful trials as a crucial stride towards realising the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat (self -reliant India). The Secretary of the Department of Defence R&D and the Chairman of the DRDO extended congratulations to the teams involved in trials underscoring the collaborative effort and technical prowess that culminated in this achievement.
