In a significant enhancement of India’s defense capabilities The Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) has successfully completed final development trials of the Unmanned Precision Guided Missile (ULPGM)-V3.
According to officials citing a PTI report, the tests were successful in both air-to-ground and air-to-air modes.
The trials were conducted at the DRDO testing range near Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh using the integrated Ground Control System (GCS) for command and control of the ULPGM weapon system, the Ministry of Defense said in a statement.
The GCS system features the latest technology to automate readiness and launch operations.
“The Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) has successfully completed the final trials to develop the deliverable configuration of the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Launched Precision Guided Missile (ULPGM)-V3 in air-to-surface and air-to-air modes,” the ministry statement said.
What is a “V3 Precision Guided Missile Launched Unmanned Aerial Vehicle”?
ULPGM-V3, also known as ULM-ER (Extended Range), is an indigenous, fire-and-forget, precision-guided missile specifically designed for launch from Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs or combat drones) to eliminate stationary and mobile tactical threats on the ground and in the air.
According to the Ministry of Defence, it was developed by the Emirates Research Centre, Hyderabad, as the nodal laboratory, in collaboration with other DRDO laboratories, including the Defense Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), Hyderabad; Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory (TBRL), Chandigarh; and High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL), Pune.
The missile is produced entirely by the Indian defense ecosystem which includes a large number of SMEs and other industries.
DRDO has partnered with two production agencies – Bharat Dynamics Limited, Hyderabad and Adani Defense Systems & Technologies Limited, Hyderabad, to develop and produce the missiles.
The system has been integrated with drones developed by Newspace Research and Technologies, Bengaluru, for the current trials.
The ministry said that the experiments confirmed that the local supply chain was fully mature and equipped for mass production immediately.
Applause pours in for DRDO
defense minister Rajnath Singh congratulated DRDO, PSUs, defense production partners and industry stakeholders for the successful development trials of ULPGM-V3 in air-to-ground mode for anti-tank role and in air-to-air mode for UAVs, helicopters and other airborne targets.
He described it as a strategic achievement achieved towards ‘Atmanirbharta’ in defence.
The Defense Ministry’s Secretary for Research and Development and DRDO Chief Samir Kamat congratulated all the teams participating in the successful trials, the Defense Ministry statement added.
