New Delhi: Considered to be one of the most advanced anti-tank weapons globally, indigenously developed helicopter-launched Anti-Tank Guided Missile ‘HELINA’ has completed all the trials, according to the Ministry of Defence officials. The missile is guided by an Imaging Infra-Red (IIR) Seeker operating in the Lock on Before Launch mode.
Additionally, DHRUVASTRA – a variant of HELINA Weapon System called is also being inducted into the Indian Air Force (IAF).
According to reports, DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation) as part of user validation trials successfully flight tested the anti-tank missile at high-altitude ranges in 2022. The flight test was jointly conducted by teams of scientists from DRDO, the Indian army and the Indian air force. The flight trials were conducted from an Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH). The test involved the firing and engaging of a simulated tank target.
Following the trials and validation from the army and IAF, the government is now preparing for the induction of HELINA into the Indian Army, as stated by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). Further, in continuation to validation trials conducted at Pokhran in Rajasthan, it also paves the way for its integration on the ALH.
The Nag – a fire-and-forget, third-generation ATGM is ready for induction into the Indian Army after completing all required flight and user trials. “We are now awaiting an order from the Indian Army,” the official said.
As disclosed by DRDO, the Nag missile boasts an operational range of up to 4 kilometres and is equipped with a tandem high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) warhead. The Nag ATGM measures approximately 1.834 meters in length, has a diameter of 0.158 meters, and weighs around 44 kilograms. Notably, the Nag ATGM has been successfully mounted on helicopters, which transforms it into the Helicopter-Launched Nag Missile system, known as HELINA.
