DRDO successfully flight-tests Man Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (Photo: DRDO)
New Delhi: The third-generation Fire-and-Forget Man-Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM) with top-attack capability was successfully flight-tested against a moving target at the KK Ranges, Ahilya Nagar, Maharashtra, on January 11.
The test was conducted by DRDO’s Defence Research & Development Laboratory (DRDL), Hyderabad.
The indigenously developed MPATGM incorporates several state-of-the-art technologies, including an Imaging Infrared (IIR) homing seeker, all-electric control actuation system, fire control system, tandem warhead, advanced propulsion system, and a high-performance sighting system.
These critical subsystems have been developed by DRDO’s sister laboratories—Research Centre Imarat (Hyderabad), Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory (Chandigarh), High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (Pune), and Instruments Research & Development Establishment (Dehradun).
The Thermal Target System, developed by Defence Laboratory, Jodhpur, was used to simulate the target tank during the trial. The IIR seeker enables effective day-and-night combat operations, while the tandem warhead is capable of defeating modern Main Battle Tanks (MBTs).
Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) are the Development-cum-Production Partners (DcPP) for the weapon system. The missile can be launched from both a tripod and a military vehicle-mounted launcher.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated DRDO, the DcPP partners, and the Indian industry for the successful test, describing it as a significant milestone toward Aatmanirbhar Bharat.
Congratulating the team, Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO, Dr. Samir V. Kamat, stated that the successful engagement of the trial target marks a major step toward the induction of the weapon system into the Indian Army.
