Successful test-firing of Pinaka enhanced rockets makes city proud
   Date :05-Nov-2020

Pinaka rocket_1 &nbs
 An advanced version of Pinaka rocket flight-tested successfully from Integrated Test Range at Chandipur, in Baleswar district, Odisha on Wednesday.
 
 
Staff Reporter :
 
DRDO and Economic Explosives Limited, Nagpur have co-developed the rockets test-fired successfully at Balasore on Wednesday
 
 
Wednesday was a significant day for India in general and Nagpur in particular. Private industry in the field of ammunition development and manufacturing reached an important milestone as six Pinaka Enhanced Rockets manufactured at Economic Explosives Ltd, Nagpur, and co-developed with Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) were successfully test-fired at Integrated Test Range at Chandipur, off the coast of Odisha. The enhanced version of Pinaka rocket will replace the existing Pinaka Mk-I rockets, which are currently under production.
 
A statement issued by DRDO mentioned that development of the enhanced Pinaka system was taken up to achieve longer range performance compared to earlier designs with reduced length. The six rockets test-fired on Wednesday were launched in quick succession and the tests met all mission parameters. All flight articles were tracked by range instruments such as telemetry, radar and electro-optical tracking systems that confirmed the flight performance, DRDO stated. The design and development of Pinaka Enhanced Rockets was carried out by DRDO laboratories namely Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE), High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL).
 
Pinaka Rockets were designed more than 20 years ago by ARDE and HEMRL. In last three years, Pinaka Enhanced Rockets have been co-developed under a Development-cum-Production Partner model with Economics Explosives Ltd, Nagpur. The Mk-1 Enhanced Rockets have range of 47.5 km, which is 25 per cent more as compared to 37.5 km; and shelf life of 15 years as against 10 years in the Mk-1 rockets developed earlier. These also have a superior construction technique with changed propellant casting, which leads to better reliability.
 
Defence Acquisition Council had cleared a proposal to buy Mk-1 Rockets from the private sector in 2017. The Indian Army had put a hold this order as it was awaiting the development of enhanced version of Pinaka Mk-1 Rocket. Economic Explosives Ltd is making all variants of Pinaka Rockets at its composite manufacturing facility in Nagpur district. Currently, it is also executing an order for Pinaka Guided Extended Range Rocket, expected to be a strategic game-changer for India. Economic Explosives Ltd is a subsidiary of Solar Group. It entered Defence and Aerospace Sector about 10 years ago. It makes high technology missiles, space rockets, as well as other munitions. Recently, Economic Explosives Ltd had signed a contract to supply 1 million modern multi-mode hand grenades for the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force. 
 

Satyanarayan Nuwal_1 
 
 
There is huge export potential: Nuwal
 
Staff Reporter :
 
Satyanarayan Nuwal, Chairman, Solar Industries India Limited (SIIL) of which Economic Explosives Ltd is a subsidiary, was obviously a happy man after successful test-firing of the Pinaka Enhanced Rockets. But, he is not a man who stops. A visionary he always thinks of moving ahead and bettering own performance. After successful test-firing of Pinaka Mk-1 Enhanced Rockets on Wednesday, Nuwal told ‘The Hitavada’ that it was indeed a moment of pride. For, the rockets were manufactured and integrated in Nagpur district, and sent to Balasore. “This is definitely beneficial to the country.
 
In future, once enhanced version of Pinaka rockets is inducted, there is huge export potential,” he said. The rockets can be exported to the friendly countries. Nuwal said that Economic Explosives Ltd was also executing an order for Pinaka Guided Extended Range Rocket. “We are a production agency for that too. Already, we have done some trials. We have made 40 rockets and await user trial at the end of the Indian Army,” he added. He was confident that Pinaka Guided Extended Range Rocket would be a game-changer. It also will have a huge export potential. Once inducted, Pinaka Guided Extended Range Rocket will save a lot of Government expenditure on import.
 
As envisioned in the ‘Atma Nirbhar Bharat’ initiative of the Government of India for Defence Sector, Solar Group is fully committed to realising its goals of self-reliance, indigenous production and export of ammunition. Already, some foreign countries have started making enquiries for Pinaka rockets. It may be noted that Solar Group is the first Indian company to cross annualised production of 3,00,000 MT of explosives. As per the company website, Solar Group has evolved from a single-site manufacturing company in 1995 to a globally recognised industrial explosives manufacturer today. After entering into Defence and Aerospace Sector, it has set up ‘one of the world’s most integrated facilities for ammunition’.