India testfires Pinaka Multibarrel Rocket Launcher

Balasore, Apr 13 (UNI) India today testfired the indigenously- designed and manufactured Pinaka Multibarrel Rocket Launcher twice from a testing range near here, defence sources said.

The two tests were conducted at the Chandipur-on-sea testing site - 15 km from here - between 1430 and 1500 hrs.

The indigenously built Pinaka weapon area system can fire a salvo of 12 rockets with 1.2 ton of high explosives within 40 seconds, at a range of upto 40 km.

The complete system comprises a launch vehicle, a loader replenishment vehicle and a command post vehicle with a battery of six launchers.

Pinaka is capable of reutralising a target area of 350 sqkm, and is meant as a supplement to the existing artillery systems at a range beyond 30 km, sources said.

It can be fitted with a variety of warheads ranging from blast-cum-pre-fragmented high explosives to anti-tank mines, the sources added.

They described today's testfire as '' routine''.

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