SOURCE: AFI
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is set to commence trials of the Pinaka MkIII, an advanced 120-kilometer-range guided rocket system, marking a significant leap in India’s indigenous artillery capabilities. Developed by DRDO’s Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE) in collaboration with other key laboratories, the Pinaka MkIII is designed to deliver precision strikes with enhanced range and lethality.
Limited supplies of the pre-production units have already been manufactured by Solar Industries India Ltd., a key private-sector partner, and the system is now ready for developmental-cum-user trials, reflecting its production-ready specifications. These trials, expected to begin soon, aim to fast-track the system’s induction into the Indian Army, reinforcing India’s strategic deterrence in the region.
The Pinaka MkIII, unveiled at a defense exhibition in Hyderabad earlier this year, represents a significant evolution from its predecessors, the Pinaka MkI (40 km range), MkII (60-90 km), and Guided Pinaka (75-90 km). With a reported 300mm caliber—compared to the 214mm of earlier variants—the Pinaka MkIII is engineered to carry a larger 250 kg warhead and achieve a maximum range of 120 km, rivaling systems like Russia’s Smerch MBRL (90 km) and China’s PHL-03 (70-130 km). The increased diameter allows for a greater propellant load and advanced guidance systems, ensuring pinpoint accuracy and enhanced lethality against high-value targets such as enemy command centers, bunkers, and logistics hubs.
The system incorporates a sophisticated guidance, navigation, and control (GNC) kit developed by DRDO’s Research Centre Imarat (RCI), enabling precision strikes even in challenging terrains like the mountainous regions of Ladakh and Kargil. The rockets are designed to be compatible with existing Pinaka launchers, minimizing infrastructure costs and ensuring seamless integration into the Indian Army’s artillery regiments. Each launcher carries two pods, with the guided variant accommodating eight rockets due to additional electronic components, capable of delivering a salvo in just 44 seconds to neutralize an area of 700×500 meters.
Solar Industries India Ltd., through its subsidiary Economic Explosives Ltd. (EEL), has emerged as a key player in the production of Pinaka rockets, leveraging a Transfer of Technology (ToT) agreement with DRDO. The company has already supplied limited pre-production units of the Pinaka MkIII, which were showcased at the Hyderabad exhibition. These units, built to production-ready specifications, reflect the successful collaboration between DRDO and private industry, aligning with India’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative to reduce reliance on foreign systems. Solar Industries’ proven track record with earlier Pinaka variants, including the successful trials of the Enhanced Pinaka MkI and Guided Pinaka in 2020 and 2021, underscores its capability to deliver high-quality munitions at scale.
Unlike traditional developmental trials, the upcoming Pinaka MkIII tests will combine developmental and user trials to expedite the system’s induction into the Indian Army. This approach reflects the system’s advanced stage of development and the confidence in its production-ready design. The trials, scheduled to begin soon, will evaluate critical parameters such as range, accuracy, consistency, and rate of fire in salvo mode. According to DRDO sources, the rockets will be tested across various field firing ranges, with 12 rockets from each production agency (EEL and MIL) fired from two upgraded in-service Pinaka launchers. The tests will also assess the system’s integration with existing command-and-control systems and its performance in simulated combat scenarios.
The decision to conduct combined trials stems from the successful validation of earlier Pinaka variants, particularly the Guided Pinaka, which completed its Provisional Staff Qualitative Requirements (PSQR) trials in November 2024. These trials confirmed the system’s ability to strike targets beyond 75 km with a circular error probable (CEP) of less than 10 meters, a significant improvement over the unguided MkI’s 500-meter accuracy. The Pinaka MkIII builds on this foundation, incorporating advanced technologies like a wraparound microstrip antenna and a laser-gyro navigation system from Sagem, ensuring even greater precision at extended ranges.
The development of the Pinaka MkIII is a direct response to the evolving security landscape in South Asia, particularly the deployment of long-range rocket systems by China and Pakistan. China’s 300mm PHL-03 launchers, stationed near the Line of Actual Control (LAC), and Pakistan’s A-100 systems, with a 120 km range, have underscored the need for India to enhance its artillery reach. The Indian Army’s 2021 approval for 120 km and 300 km Pinaka variants reflects this urgency, with the Pinaka MkIII serving as a cost-effective alternative to imported systems like the Smerch MBRL.
The system’s 120 km range and 250 kg warhead make it ideal for both saturation and precision strikes, capable of neutralizing critical infrastructure and high-value targets deep within enemy territory. Its compatibility with existing launchers ensures rapid deployment, while its indigenous design reduces logistical and maintenance challenges. The Pinaka MkIII’s development also aligns with India’s broader defense modernization efforts, with DRDO exploring a 200-300 km variant to counter systems like China’s PHL-16, potentially elevating Pinaka into the short-range ballistic missile category.
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