Indian Missiles News & Discussions - 30 June 2022

[Rakesh]

VIDEO: https://x.com/westerncomd_IA/status/1879494435425366041 ---> CINCAN and GOC Kharga Corps witnessed perfect salvo launch of BrahMos missiles and validated capability of the formation to engage targets deep into enemy territory with clinical precision.

[srin]

Yes in this case the cost of the missile will be very low - the seeker is a miniaturized seeker and will use target matching algos to perform a proximity kill. Something as simple as a closed loop chip with a optical sensor is good enough for this. Considering the range at which it shall operate it will probably be shot in a pre-calculated trajectory with minor corrections as it closes in on the target.

I tried to get the Bhargavastra anti drone missile details from the Solar group website, but failed. Email verification issue.

Two comments by a major Indian military news reporting handle
https://x.com/alpha_defense/status/1879 ... VUTKw&s=19

I don't know. It seems to be cutting the wrong cost.

I don't see this being more effective than, say a 20mm cannon. The rounds will be much cheaper, and you can store more in given volume.

The real cost wouldn't be in the micro-missile or its seeker but it'd be in the radars and EOT to detect the drones. Drones that fly close or below tree line would be incredibly hard to detect in time. I don't see that being solved.

[srai]

Anti-Drone Micro-missile System "Bhargavastra" by Solar Group


https://indiandefenseanalysis.wordpress ... em-vmcsds/


Video
https://x.com/NewsIADN/status/1879401569160229236

[Karan M]

The radars look Israeli and are likely the RPS-82 from Rafael systems. Hope the EO sight, missile and sensors are purely local.

[Karan M]

1. IAF Chief has formally indicated Akash NG as on the IAF roadmap, to be inducted within the coming five years.
2. No mention of QRSAM which remains on IA roadmap and BEL indicates orders are expected next fiscal.
3. IN committed to VL SRSAM.
4. IA, IAF, IN all continuing with their induction of MRSAM.

[srai]

^^^

Probably would have been better to have had one common SRSAM missile but with different subsystems for IAF, IA and IN.

[Nikhil_Naya]

Yes in this case the cost of the missile will be very low - the seeker is a miniaturized seeker and will use target matching algos to perform a proximity kill. Something as simple as a closed loop chip with a optical sensor is good enough for this. Considering the range at which it shall operate it will probably be shot in a pre-calculated trajectory with minor corrections as it closes in on the target.

I don't know. It seems to be cutting the wrong cost.

I don't see this being more effective than, say a 20mm cannon. The rounds will be much cheaper, and you can store more in given volume.

The real cost wouldn't be in the micro-missile or its seeker but it'd be in the radars and EOT to detect the drones. Drones that fly close or below tree line would be incredibly hard to detect in time. I don't see that being solved.

That was precisely the point I have made a couple of posts later. The heavy lifting is done by the ground station which launches the missile in the general killbox and the missile has to do minimal maneuvering as the target is a relatively slower drone.

For Drones flying at tree top height a mast mounted radar will probably work well.

[Rakesh]

Pralay, India’s first tactical quasi-ballistic missile, to debut at Republic Day parade
https://theprint.in/defence/pralay-indi ... e/2454380/
20 January 2025

Pralay was developed according to the specifications and requirements of the Army, which was looking to arm itself on the battlefield with a tactical conventional missile.

[Rakesh]

https://x.com/connect_rishav/status/1881331608688664818 ---> If you look closely, you will notice that the pointy tip is dark grey in colour where's the rest of the missile is white. It's because the tip is a radome made from fused silica which will eventually house a mmW band seeker for sub 4 m CEP. At present, Pralay has sub 10 m CEP.

https://x.com/connect_rishav/status/1881331608688664818 ---> It seems like India is reportedly replacing the Czech Republic's Tatra Transporter Erector Launchers with Indian counterparts. Seen here is Ashok Leyland's 12x12 carrying the Pralay tactical ballistic missiles during Republic Day 2025 rehearsals. Photo by @ThatArticleGuy

[Rakesh]

https://x.com/akki_bauer22_/status/1881287433918283797 ---> 1,000 of these babies will make every general in Pindi consume enough isabgol to never come out of latrine ever again.

[Hriday]

https://x.com/connect_rishav/status/1881331608688664818 ---> If you look closely, you will notice that the pointy tip is dark grey in colour where's the rest of the missile is white. It's because the tip is a radome made from fused silica which will eventually house a mmW band seeker for sub 4 m CEP. At present, Pralay has sub 10 m CEP.

Rakesh ji, the correct link is below.
https://x.com/Ray70409890/status/188135 ... 4yhvA&s=19

Thank you soham ji for the correction. Deleted my erroneous post on Prahar launcher. At first look I thought that missile is relatively thin, so it must be Prahar.

[sohamn]

This is not Prahar, army didn’t order Prahar which is a battlefield missile. This is Pralay which is a tactical ballistic missile.

[nits]

On a lighter note - we keeping tough hindi names of our missiles must be a nightmare to speak and note for our enemies, pralay, Prahar, prithvi and so on...

[sanjaykumar]

And rural panjab as well. They don’t do consonantal clustering.

[Rakesh]

Boost for India as DRDO successfully conducts scramjet engine ground test for hypersonic missiles
https://theprint.in/defence/boost-for-i ... s/2455926/
21 Jan 2025

Defence ministry in a statement said that the successful ground test marks a crucial milestone in developing next-generation hypersonic missions.

https://x.com/livefist/status/1881698706816483539 ----> DRDO conducts Scramjet Engine ground test for 120 seconds for the first time in India. ‘Crucial milestone in developing next-generation hypersonic missions,’ the MoD said in a statement.

[Rakesh]

Rakesh ji, the correct link is below.
https://x.com/Ray70409890/status/188135 ... 4yhvA&s=19

Thank you soham ji for the correction. Deleted my erroneous post on Prahar launcher. At first look I thought that missile is relatively thin, so it must be Prahar.

Hriday-ji...there are two links in my post. I added both, as the pair of tweets highlight two different issues.

[Rakesh]

VIDEO: https://x.com/ang3lkenny/status/1881650870460576212 ---> As we know that Brahmos is now 86% indigenised, except the ramjet everything else can be locally made.

[Rakesh]

https://x.com/connect_rishav/status/1881331608688664818 ---> If you look closely, you will notice that the pointy tip is dark grey in colour where's the rest of the missile is white. It's because the tip is a radome made from fused silica which will eventually house a mmW band seeker for sub 4 m CEP. At present, Pralay has sub 10 m CEP.

https://x.com/connect_rishav/status/1881331608688664818 ---> It seems like India is reportedly replacing the Czech Republic's Tatra Transporter Erector Launchers with Indian counterparts. Seen here is Ashok Leyland's 12x12 carrying the Pralay tactical ballistic missiles during Republic Day 2025 rehearsals. Photo by @ThatArticleGuy

https://x.com/GODOFPARADOXES/status/1881680155925758016 ---> DRDO Pralay missile is canisterized i.e. hermetically sealed inside its canister.

Pralay Launcher Configuration:
1. 8 x 8 HMV with 1 canisterized Pralay missile
2. 12 x 12 HMV with 2 canisterized Pralay missiles

Features:
1. Reaction time from command to launch <60 seconds
2. Time to action <10 minutes

https://x.com/hellfire_81/status/1881705003439862055 ---> While people are rightly focusing on the missile, which gives IA options for employment between 150 - 500 km (Pinaka should ultimately cover the range till 150 km - things going good on the front), what is of significance is the presence of Ashok Leyland 12x12 TEL here. The coming of age of own vehicles in this segment, hitherto a monopoly of DPSU BEML which manufactured them as CKD, made by private players, marks a significant shift in policy. For context - Ashok Leyland Stallion is "made" by Vehicle Factory Jabalpore (VFJ).

PS: Why VFJ makes them as a CKD assembly also has a rationale, but the monopoly given to DPSUs needs a relook as a policy measure by Govt, in order to stimulate the 'ecosystem'.

[Rakesh]

Boost for India as DRDO successfully conducts scramjet engine ground test for hypersonic missiles
https://theprint.in/defence/boost-for-i ... s/2455926/
21 Jan 2025

https://x.com/livefist/status/1881698706816483539 ----> DRDO conducts Scramjet Engine ground test for 120 seconds for the first time in India. ‘Crucial milestone in developing next-generation hypersonic missions,’ the MoD said in a statement.

https://x.com/Amitraaz/status/1881797593866650097 ---> Next gen TBC validated by the DRDL for the scramjet engine.

[Rakesh]

Brahmos 2.0? Former DRDO chief V K Saraswat explains India’s big hypersonic missile success

In a major fillip to India’s pursuit of true-blue hypersonic missiles, DRDO has successfully carried out a cutting-edge Active Cooled Scramjet Combustor ground test for 120 seconds for the first time. Former DRDO chief and NITI Ayog member Dr V K Saraswat speaks to Deputy Editor Snehesh Alex Philip to explain why this is so important.

[ernest]

Alpha defence just posted ( https://x.com/alpha_defense/status/1883 ... 03/photo/1 ) about ULM-ER developed by DRDO and produced by Adani Defence.
I cannot find much info about it online. Is it a Nag/SANT derivative? What are the specs and testing history/status?
Thanks

[ernest]

On a separate note, what happened to Amogha 1/2/3 being developed by BDL? They were supposed to be low cost replacements to Konkurs/Milan in our inventory. Not much in past couple of years from BDL.

[uddu]

https://idrw.org/drdo-developing-next-g ... -ulpgm-v3/

[Hriday]

Guided Pinaka doing an S-shaped manoeuvre! In the short video in the below link, this manoeuvre can be seen against a patch of white cloud. We developed Brahmos block 3 exactly for this purpose, and now we have a cheap alternative for mass usage on the battlefield.

https://x.com/GODOFPARADOXES/status/188 ... 68zBg&s=19

IMO
Guided Pinaka demonstrating the most difficult to execute - targeting of hostile(s) positioned in reverse slope defence (mountain warfare tactic) using canard control to perform aerodynamic manoeuvres for
1. Energy depletion
2. Trajectory shaping
3. High AoA
4. High accuracy

[srai]

NAG Missile System



https://www.gettyimages.com.au/detail/n ... 2195549304

[VKumar]

For economy and convenience we need long range tube Artillery.

[pravula]

Guided Pinaka doing an S-shaped manoeuvre! In the short video in the below link, this manoeuvre can be seen against a patch of white cloud. We developed Brahmos block 3 exactly for this purpose, and now we have a cheap alternative for mass usage on the battlefield.

https://x.com/GODOFPARADOXES/status/188 ... 68zBg&s=19

IMO
Guided Pinaka demonstrating the most difficult to execute - targeting of hostile(s) positioned in reverse slope defence (mountain warfare tactic) using canard control to perform aerodynamic manoeuvres for
1. Energy depletion
2. Trajectory shaping
3. High AoA
4. High accuracy

Its awesome. Even more impactful on these than Brahmos as it will now force all WLRs to upgrade. One can no longer just use trajectory to locate firing locations. Do this on an artillery shell and

[Avinandan]

Brahmos does the S maneuver in the terminal phase, however here the guided rocket is doing just after few seconds from the launch. I doubt that it is a programmed S maneuver, probably some path correction once it clears the peak of the hill.

[pravula]

Either way, the capability to obscure the launch site from pure ballistic tracking exists and has been proven. Question is, will we expand and operationalize it.

[Ashokk]

DRDO carries out three consecutive tests of Very Short-Range Air Defence system

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on Saturday (February 1, 2025) successfully conducted three successive flight-trials of the Very Short-Range Air Defence (VSHORAD) system from Chandipur off the coast of Odisha. These tests were carried out against high-speed targets flying at a very low altitude.

“During all the three flight-tests, the missiles intercepted and completely destroyed the targets, having reduced thermal signature mimicking low flying drones at different flying conditions. The flight-tests were carried out in final deployment configuration wherein two field operators carried out weapon readiness, target acquisition and missile firing,” a statement from the DRDO said.

The flight data captured by various range instruments such as Telemetry, Electro-Optical Tracking System and Radar deployed by Integrated Test Range, Chandipur, confirmed the pin-point accuracy and established the unique capability of the VSHORAD missile system in neutralising drones along with other classes of aerial threats, the statement added.

[Rakesh]

Army rejects companies' demand to conduct critical ballistic tests at a police laboratory
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/ne ... 894013.cms
03 Feb 2025

[SSridhar]

DRDO carries out three consecutive tests of Very Short-Range Air Defence system

Looks like user trials.

[srai]

^^^
Probably now begins the famous IA/IAF user trials.

Let’s circle back in 5-years (at the earliest) when finally the “go ahead” to begin the lengthy procurement process for ~50 units on order intent is placed

[Hriday]

Indranil Roy comments that the vshorad missile tested by DRDO is possibly the best in its class.
https://x.com/Indrani1_Roy/status/18864 ... VSMFg&s=19

This missile is absolutely best in class. DRDO is an absolute master in solid propulsion.

Thanks to @Archit_Ch, for pointing out something to me. I haven't read a single account in public space which correctly describes how it works. It's quite beautiful.

I used to think that maneuvering right after launch was achieved through differential thrust through those 4 nozzles. That's wrong.

Actually, there are 32 small RCS motors fitted right behind those holes behind those nozzles.

Is it the first time an Indian missile has used a Reaction Control System (RCS) within the atmosphere? With DRDO gaining experience on this type of motor, possibly it can be added to the future variants of AAD, AD-1 type missiles to increase manoeuvrability.

As per Wikipedia,

The PAC-3 missile is more maneuverable than previous variants, due to 180 tiny pulse solid propellant rocket motors mounted in the forebody of the missile, called Attitude Control Motors, or ACMs, which serve to fine align the missile trajectory with its target to achieve hit-to-kill capability.

[Hriday]

https://x.com/Ray70409890/status/188424 ... f3tuQ&s=19

According to Dr BK Das, DG ECS of Drdo, Pralay has a range of upto 1500 km and there is an anti radiation homing version of the missile.

You can swap the mmW seeker with a PHH - passive homing head OR have both these seekers simultaneously in Pralay like the setup in RudramI.

Pralay is Shaurya without booster. There’s a new K-15/Shaurya missile with an enhanced range. K-15 SLBM has a much longer range than the officially quoted 750 km. It used maraging steel in its airframe. Pralay uses an all composite airframe and new prop.

Can't find any link to the statement made by B.K.Das. Anyway, as per the writings of Haridas, the Shourya missile can reach 1800 km with a 200 kg warhead. On a quick Google search, Brahmos, with a 900 km range with a 300 kg warhead, costs 12 million dollars. Pralay costs only $ 4 million. Three times less cost. After the destruction of high-value SAM systems at long ranges with invincible Brahmos, a massive barrage of Pralay for long-range precision strikes will follow. Will the indigenous cruise missile (ITCM) be more costly than Pralay? It can possibly carry a 1-ton warhead to 1000 km.

[Yagnasri]

Against Pakis we may not need anything over the 400 to 500 range. Sub Sonic missile will do that job.

[Hriday]

See the link below to see two posters on warheads for missiles.

https://x.com/ang3lkenny/status/1723218 ... ZYrSg&s=19



Some interesting details on Pralay warhead based on the poster given above.
1. P.F Warhead

P.F Warhead weight - 370 kg and 700 kg.
Target - C4I installations, radars and telecom equipment, troops in open, Class -B vehicles.
Lethality -
For P.F 370 kg= 1 hit/square metre at a radius of 80 metres.
For P.F 700 kg= 1 hit/square metre at a radius of 100 ? metres (the third digit is obscured).

2. RDPS (350 kg) for forward airfields with runways of LCN-60 specifications. (RDPS=Runway Denial Penetration Submunition)

No of RDPS - 10 (5 in each row)
Missile terminal velocity - 350 to 550 meter/second.
Height of release - 750 metres.
Dispersal of RDPS - 65 metres radius APB. (Does anyone know what is APB ?)

[Rakesh]

https://x.com/manupubby/status/1888819347432296620 ---> DRDO showcases the Kusha, it's long range surface to air system that is planned to replace the S-400 in the future.

[Cyrano]

Buzz on French social media that France is negotiating the purchase of Pinaka MBRLS from Bharat!

[Hriday]

https://x.com/Ray70409890/status/188929 ... HMw6w&s=19

Target view from the uncooled IIR seeker of Vshorad missile.

The resolution is quite spectacular.

The target drone is a Banshee powered by a 38 hp rotary engine.

That seeker could lock onto such a negligible heat source from a good distance is simply mins blowing.

The below image is a screenshot from the video given in the below link.
https://x.com/alpha_defense/status/1889 ... jAJCA&s=19