ARTILLERY ROCKET SYSTEMS

Technology Focus focuses on the technological developments in the organisation covering the products, processes and technologies.

Technology Focus

Armament Research & Development Establishment (ARDE) is one of the earliest laboratories established under the DRDO umbrella, with mandate to design and develop conventional armaments for the Services and Paramilitary Forces. One of the areas in which ARDE has established core competence is design and development of artillery rockets and associated tech-nologies.ARDE's emphasis is on finding indigenous solutions for different technologies related to enhanced range, accuracy and lethality of rockets. Various technologies like flow forming of high L/D ratio motor tubes and stabilizer assembly operating at high Mach number have been established. Capabilities of indigenously designed and developed rocket systems such as 122 mm Enhanced Range Rocket (ERR), Remotely Delivered Mine System (RDMS) and Pinaka have been successfully demonstrated. It is worth-while to mention, Pinaka was put into the service during Indo-Pakistan conflict in Kargil in Op Vijay (June 1999). Presently Pinaka is under production at DGOF. A joint venture project was also undertaken with IMI, Israel for accuracy improvement using Trajectory Correction System (TCS) for Pinaka. CEP of less than 60 m at 30 km range has been successfully demonstrated.A 60 km range Pinaka Mk-II rocket system has been developed. Various critical technologies, viz., case bonded finocyl grain configuration, PF warhead, WAF stabilizer and nozzle end ignition system have been established. Various problems related to high speed aerodynamics, viz., excessive out-of-plane moment and dynamic instabilities were addressed by innovative design modifications which helped ARDE to foray in cut-ting-edge technologies for guided Pinaka Rocket System. The main aim of guided Pinaka is to meet the require-ment of highly accurate weapons with enhanced lethality and low collateral damage.ARDE in association with sister DRDO labs, viz., RCI and DRDL, Hyderabad in a very short span of time developed and demonstrated performance of guided Pinaka. Various other technologies related to Launch-er Pod, Guidance, Sensors and Ferro-electric Pulse Power Generator (FEPPG) Crystal-based Warhead Initia-tion are being developed.This issue of Technology Focus highlights ARDE’s contributions towards development of various artil-lery rocket systems and enabling technologies.

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