DRDO Tests Final Deliverable Configuration of Man Portable ATGM
India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully flight tested the ‘final deliverable configuration’ of Man Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM) on January 11, 2022. The present test was to prove the consistent performance for the minimum range. The missile impacted the designated target and destroyed it. The test has successfully validated the minimum range and all mission objectives were met.
MPATGM is a third generation low weight, fire & forget missile. It is launched from a man-portable Command Launch Unit (CLU) which is integrated with a thermal sight. It has top attack as well as direct attack capability. The missile has a minimum range of 200m and a maximum range of 2,500m, with a maximum flight time of 17 seconds. The 1340mm long missile has a diameter of 120mm and weighs 14.5 kg. The CLU weighs 14.25 kg. The missile has a miniaturized passive homing imaging infrared (IIR) seeker.
This is the seventh trial of the missile. The first test was conducted on September 15, 2018. The second trial, for maximum range, was conducted on the next day. Two trials were conducted on March 13 and 14 in 2019. In the fifth test on September 11, 2019, the missile was launched from a man portable tripod launcher and the target was mimicking a functional tank. The missile hit the target in top attack mode. The next trial was on July 21, 2021 and used a CLU integrated with its thermal sight. This test was at the minimum range and was in direct attack mode.
With the current trial, the missile has successfully demonstrated all the user requirements. It is planned to replace the MILAN and Konkurs ATGMs in service currently. This follows a series of completed and ongoing ATGM developments by DRDO in recent years. A Laser guided cannon-launched ATGM for the Arjun main battle tank, with a range of 5 km, was tested twice in September and October 2020. The final trial of the Nag ATGM, with a range of 4 km, was also conducted in October 2020 from a BMP-2 based Nag missile carrier (NAMICA).
User trials of the helicopter-launched versions of Nag concluded in February 2021. The Army and Indian Air Force (IAF) versions are called Helina and Dhruvastra respectively and have a range of over 7 km. These will be used on the growing attack helicopter fleet of these services. Finally, the Nag based helicopter launched Standoff Anti Tank (SANT) Missile for IAF, equipped with a millimeter wave (MMW) seeker and with a range of over 10 km was tested in December 2021. All other Nag variants are equipped with an IIR seeker. These Indian ATGMs, expected to be manufactured by Bharat Dynamic Limited (BDL), would augment the anti-tank capability of Indian forces which has so far relied on imported designs to meet its requirements.