New Delhi: The Defence Research and Development Organisation has successfully flight-tested the third-generation Man Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile with top-attack capability, marking a key step towards strengthening the Indian Army’s anti-armour firepower.
The test was conducted on January 11 at the KK Ranges in Ahilya Nagar, Maharashtra, by the Defence Research and Development Laboratory, Hyderabad. During the trial, the missile accurately engaged and destroyed a moving target, demonstrating its operational effectiveness under realistic battlefield conditions.
The indigenously developed MPATGM is a “fire-and-forget” weapon system designed for infantry use. It is equipped with an Imaging Infrared homing seeker, an all-electric control actuation system, a modern fire control system, a tandem warhead, a robust propulsion system and a high-performance sighting system. These technologies have been developed by multiple DRDO laboratories, including Research Centre Imarat in Hyderabad, Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory in Chandigarh, High Energy Materials Research Laboratory in Pune and Instruments Research and Development Establishment in Dehradun.
For the trial, the Thermal Target System used to replicate an enemy tank was developed by Defence Laboratory, Jodhpur. DRDO officials said the Imaging Infrared seeker enables accurate engagement in both day and night conditions, while the tandem warhead is capable of defeating contemporary main battle tanks. The missile can be launched from tripod-based launchers as well as from vehicle-mounted platforms, offering flexibility across varied combat scenarios.
State-owned defence public sector undertakings Bharat Dynamics Limited and Bharat Electronics Limited are the Development-Cum-Production Partners for the MPATGM system, highlighting the growing role of Indian industry in defence manufacturing.
Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh congratulated DRDO, its industry partners and all associated teams for the successful test, calling it an important step towards achieving the vision of “Aatmanirbhar Bharat” in defence. Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO, Samir V. Kamat, said the successful trial against a moving target has cleared the path for the missile’s induction into the Indian Army.
BI Bureau
