India successfully tests laser-guided Anti-Tank Guided Missiles
Recently Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) has successfully test-fired indigenously developed Laser-Guided Anti-Tank Guided Missiles (ATGM).
Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM):
- ATGMs are primarily designed to shoot down, and destroy heavily armored military vehicles.
- Missiles can be carried by a single soldier to larger tripod-mounted weapons, requiring a squad or team to transport and fire vehicle and aircraft mounted missile systems.
- Such guided missiles rely on an electro-optical imager (IIR) seeker, laser or W-band radar seeker.
Laser-guided Anti-Tank Guided Missiles
- The all indigenous Laser Guided ATGM uses a Tandem High Explosive Anti-Tank (HEAT) warhead to destroy Explosive Reactive Armor (ERA) protected armored vehicles.
- The ATGM is developed with multi-platform launch capability and presently MBT Arjun 120 mm rifled gun is undergoing technical evaluation test.
Major anti-tank missiles of India:
- HELINA: It has a maximum range of 7 km, and is designed and developed for integration of the weaponized version of the Advanced Light Helicopter (HAL). The missile can be used at any time of the day and night, and is capable of hitting battle tanks with conventional armor and explosive reactive armor.
- Nag: It is a third generation anti-tank missile based on fire-and-forget principle, developed to attack enemy tanks.
Man-Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM):
- It is a man-portable anti-tank guided missile with a range of 2.5 km with fire-and-forget and top attack capability for infantry use.
- SANT: It is a smart stand-off anti-tank missile which is being developed to be launched from Mi-35 helicopter for anti-tank mission of Air Force.
- Arjun Main Battle Tank (MBT) ‘MK-1A’: Arjun Main Battle Tank is a laser-guided, precision-guided warfare material. These include the indigenously developed 120mm rifle and the Armor Piercing Fin-stabilized Discreet Sabot (FSAPDS) munitions.
Source – The Hindu
