The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully flight tested the Man-Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile on Tuesday.
The defence ministry said the anti-tank missile was flight-tested in its final “deliverable configuration”.
Equipped with #IIRSeeker & advanced #Avionics #ManPortableATGM was flight tested for reliability & efficacy today. The missile hit the target with pin point accuracy. @DefenceMinIndia @SpokespersonMoD #AmritMahotsav#AtmaNirbharBharat pic.twitter.com/vDpKlP6xoj
— DRDO (@DRDO_India) January 11, 2022
Speaking on the success, the defence ministry said, “The missile impacted the designated target and destroyed it. The final impact event was captured on camera and the test has validated the minimum range successfully.”
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated the DRDO for the consistent performance of the anti-tank missile and said that it is an important step towards "Atmanirbhar Bharat" (self-reliant India) in the development of advanced technology-based defence systems.
DRDO Chairman G Satheesh Reddy too congratulated all those involved in the project for the "excellent performance" of the missile.
We explain what this missile is all about and why it is a boost to the Indian Army.
What are Man Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missiles?
The Man Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile {MPATGM} is a step above Anti-Tank Guided Missiles, which can pierce the armours of tanks. Basically, a MPATGM is a hand-held missile which can be fired by a soldier on the ground.
The MPATGM is a low weight, long cylindrical missile with a group of four fins around its mid-section and fitted with high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) warhead.
It is also integrated with a thermal sight that allows it to be used in low-visibility conditions, even in complete darkness.
The MPATGM was tested to check if it was effective against tank targets at the lower end of its range spectrum, which is 200-300 metres. The MPATGM has already proven in earlier tests its ability to strike targets at its maximum range of 4,000 metres.
The Ministry of Defence had sanctioned the development of the MPATGM on 27 January, 2015, and its probable date of completion (PDC) was put at 26 July, 2018, according to a Business Standard report. The project was allocated a budget of Rs 73.46 crore.
With this successful test of the MPATGM, it will now be built in large numbers in India, eliminating the need to import large numbers of Spike ATGMs from Israel, or Javelin ATGMs from the US, which was the earlier plan.
Reports state that the MPATGM will be manufactured by Bharat Dynamics Limited at a facility located in Bhanoor, Telangana.
Israel’s war of words over MPATGM
Interestingly, a war of words had broken out between DRDO and an Israeli firm over MPATGMs in 2019.
Reported information shows that in November 2019, Rafael Advanced Systems, the Israeli firm, released a statement hitting out at the DRDO’s ATGM programme, saying “while there seems to have been some progress on the DRDO development programme, it will take a long time for it to reach the user in the field”.
The firm added that the Indian Army needed to rethink its order for third-generation missiles, while its system is fourth-generation.
A furious DRDO took to Twitter to hit back. It tweeted that the DRDO ATGM is a state-of-the-art missile in the advanced stages of development.
A News item relating to Spike Missile testing at the Infantry school MHOW purportedly based on a press release is circulating incorrect facts. The DRDO ATGM is a state of art missile in advanced stages of development.
— DRDO (@DRDO_India) November 29, 2019
The Israeli firm subsequently apologised for “any unintended communication that has triggered emotional misbalance”.
With inputs from agencies
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