Pinaka Long Range Guided Rocket: DRDO Successfully Conducted Maiden Test of LRGR-120

DRDO successfully conducts the maiden flight test of the Pinaka Long Range Rocket at Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur, Odisha. The rocket was tested for its maximum range of 120 km, demonstrating all in-flight manoeuvres, impacting on the target with textbook precision, and adding to all deployed range instruments that tracked the flight throughout its trajectory. 

The Long Range Guided Rocket is an indigenously built multi-barrel rocket launcher (MBRL) that was launched from the in-service Pinaka launcher, demonstrating its versatility and providing the capability to launch Pinaka variants of different ranges from the same launcher. 

What is the Pinka Long Range Guided Rocket?

The Pinaka Long Range Guided Rocket (LRGR-120) is the new addition of the Defence Research and Development Organisation to India's defence system. It is the most advanced interaction of India’s indigenous Pinaka Multi-Barrel Rocket Launcher (MBRL) defence system. 

It has successfully conducted its maiden flight test at the Integrated Test Range in Chandipur, Odisha. 

Key feature of the Pinka Long Range guided rocket:

The LRGR-120 is designed to bridge the gap between traditional unguided rocket artillery and expensive tactical missiles in India’s defence system. The Pinaka Long Range Guided Rocket (LRGR-120) is the most advanced ‘Mark-III’ evolution of India’s indigenous rocket artillery. And other specific features are 

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What is the significance?

• The Pinka Long Range Guided Rocket (LRGR-120) fills the gap between the traditional tube artillery and modern ballistic missile (150+ km), allowing the Indian Army to hit high-value targets deep behind enemy lines without having to deploy more expensive and strategically "louder" missile systems like the Pralay or BrahMos

• It has a single Pinaka battery, which can now carry a ‘mix-and-match’ loadout, and supports firing 40 km rockets for close support and 120 km guided rockets for deep strikes from the same vehicle, which simplifies logistics and makes the unit far more versatile on the battlefield. 

• It works on survival (shoot-and-scoot) because it can strike from 120 km away; the launcher stays. 

• The successful testing of the LRGR-120 variant has attracted significant interest from across the world; countries like France are looking for a mobile. Cost-effective alternative to replace its aging European LRU systems, where India can export to them and strengthen its defence economy 

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What are the differences between Pinaka and other rocket variants?

The Pinaka Long Range Guided Rocket (LRGR-120) represents the transition of the Pinaka system from an "area saturation" weapon (covering large grids with unguided fire) to a "precision strike" weapon (targeting specific assets). The following table compares the key features of the LRGR-120 with its predecessors:

              Comparison of Pinaka Rocket Variants

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