India's indigenous Nag anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) has successfully passed all required trials, Financial Express reports. Additionally, the domestically developed helicopter-launched Anti-Tank Guided Missile, named 'Helina,' has also completed its trial phase, as confirmed by the Ministry of Defence. Helina employs an imaging infra-red (IIR) seeker in Lock on Before Launch mode.
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Test-firing of a Helina ATGM on August 19, 2018, at Pokhran range (Picture source: DRDO via Twitter account of livefist)
A variant of the Helina system, known as Dhruvastra, is being integrated into the Indian Air Force (IAF). During user validation trials conducted in high-altitude ranges in 2022, Dhruvastra was successfully flight-tested. The trials were carried out jointly by teams of scientists from DRDO, the Indian Army, and the Indian Air Force using an Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH). The test involved firing and engaging a simulated tank target. With positive feedback from the army and IAF, the Dhruvastra system is set to be inducted into the Indian Army.
The Nag ATGM has completed all necessary flight and user trials and is now ready for induction into the Indian Army. An official from DRDO stated that they are awaiting an order from the Indian Army. The Nag missile is a third-generation, fire-and-forget ATGM with an operational range of up to 4 km. It is equipped with a tandem high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) warhead and has dimensions of 1.834 m in length, 0.158 m in diameter, and weighs 44 kg. Additionally, the Nag ATGM has been successfully integrated into helicopters, and in this configuration, it is referred to as Helina. The successful trials also pave the way for its integration into the ALH platform.
In conclusion, both the Nag ATGM and the Helina/Dhruvastra systems have proven their capabilities through successful trials, and they are now ready for induction into the Indian Army and Air Force, respectively. These developments showcase India's progress in indigenously developing advanced defense technologies.
