DRDO test-fires drone-launched missile
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Friday that the flight trials were carried out in Kurnool.
DRDO carries out flight trials of UAV Launched Precision Guided Missile (ULPGM) V3 in the National Open Area Range (NOAR), test range in Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh (PTI)
NEW DELHI: A drone-launched precision guided missile has been successfully test-fired by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) at a test range in Andhra Pradesh.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Friday that the flight trials were carried out in Kurnool.
"In a major boost to India's defence capabilities, @DRDO_India has successfully carried out flight trials of UAV Launched Precision Guided Missile (ULPGM)-V3 in the National Open Area Range (NOAR), test range in Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh," Singh said in a social media post.
The missile is an enhanced version of the ULPGM-V2 missile developed and delivered by the DRDO earlier.
The ULPGM-V3 is equipped with a high definition dual-channel seeker that can strike a wide variety of targets.
It can be fired in plain and high-altitude areas.
The missile has day-and-night capability and two-way data link to support post-launch target update, according to the defence ministry.
The missile is equipped with three modular warhead options: anti-armour to destroy modern age armoured vehicles equipped with rolled homogeneous armour, the ministry said.
The weapon also has a "penetration-cum-blast" warhead with anti bunker application, it added.
The missile was released from an unmanned aerial vehicle, which is indigenously developed by an Indian start-up -- Newspace Research Technologies, Bengaluru.
The DRDO is actively pursuing integration of ULPGM weapons with long-range and high endurance UAVs from several other Indian companies. The ministry said Adani Defence, Bharat Dynamics Limited, and 30 MSMEs and start-ups contributed to making the project a success.
