India has signed a large-scale export order for missiles, rockets and ammunition to Armenia. Under the deal, Armenia will receive modern "Pinaka" missiles and anti-tank weapons. The deal is estimated at approximately $244 million.
Pinaka is a multiple rocket launcher produced in India and developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for the Indian Army. The system has a maximum range of 40 km for Mark-I and 60 km for Mark-I enhanced version, and can fire a salvo of 12 rockets in 44 seconds.
Development and production
The system was developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in 1986. The manufacturer is Tata Group and Larsen & Toubro companies. The cost per regiment is estimated at US$54 million.
Pinaka is a complete MBRL system, each Pinaka battery consists of: six launcher vehicles, each with 12 rockets; six loader-replenishment vehicles; three replenishment vehicles; two Command Post vehicle (one stand by) with a Fire Control computer, and the DIGICORA MET radar. A battery of six launchers can neutralise an area of 1,000 m × 800 m.
Specifications
Length: 2.91 m (9 ft 7 in) to 5.17 m (17 ft 0 in)
Diameter: 122 mm (4.8 in) to 214 mm (8.4 in)
Caliber: 122 mm (4.8 in) (ERR 122)
214 mm (8.4 in) (Pinaka Mk-I, Mk-I Enhanced, MK-II, Guided Pinaka)
Barrels: 12
Elevation: 55°
Traverse: 90°
Rate of fire: 12 rockets per launcher or 72 rockets per battery under 44 seconds
Effective firing range: 37.5 km (23.3 mi) to 75 km (47 mi)
Maximum firing range: 90 km (56 mi)[7][9]
Warhead: HMX (high explosive fragmentation, cluster munition–incendiary, anti-personnel, anti-tank, mine-laying)
Warhead weight: 100 kg (220 lb) to 250 kg (550 lb)
Unsuccessful plagiarism of the Russian MLRS
Until recently, the production of Soviet (Russian) weapons in India was the priority of Delhi. Later, relations between the Russian Federation and India deteriorated due to the mismatch of the Russian Su-57 fighter to modern standards. As a result, India launched the production of plagiarized versions of some types of Russian weapons. Although official sources and local mass media published extensive articles about the “successes” of the Indian weapon, to this day, no one except Armenia believes in these narratives.
Poor buyer of the old weapon
Since 2020, India has been testing reactive guided munitions intended for the Pinaka MLRS. However, so far, there is no any successful results of these tests. Apparently, India has already started mass production of new rocket-propelled ammunition, so it has decided to sell these systems with the old ammunition. Thus, the new guided munitions were intended to replace the previous unguided munitions.
Geopolitical game
Aware of the funds of Armenia, which has been begging for financial aid for years, India is striving to compensate part of its old score with Russia regarding the issue of “Su-57”. In addition, Armenia, in response to Azerbaijan’s relations with India, Pakistan and China, is trying to penetrate the region in this way, which is completely against the interests of Russia.
What does experience say?
India has sold arms to Armenia before. In 2020, it supplied Armenia with four units of "Swathi" counter-battery radar worth 40 million dollars. Moreover, among the trophies taken from the positions and military units liberated from the Armenians, there were also Spike-SR anti-tank missiles, which, as it became known later, were purchased by India from Israel and resold to Armenia, which is a gross violation of the terms of the contract. However, these Indian weapons did not play any decisive role in the battles either during the Patriotic War or after it and in no way helped Armenia change the situation on the battlefield in its favor.
In general, the military-industrial complex of India does not have weight and authority among the world's main manufacturers, and this country, its armed forces are highly dependent on imports. From this point of view, the supply of one rocket-artillery battalion to Armenia can in no way upset the balance of power in the region in favor of Armenia. And yet, given the fact that this system is inferior in all its parameters to its Russian BM-21 Grad, and 97 of which were destroyed by the Azerbaijani Armed Forces in Karabakh two years ago, it is not difficult to imagine their future fate.
By Adalat Verdiyev, military expert
Tags:
India has signed a large-scale export order for missiles, rockets and ammunition to Armenia. Under the deal, Armenia will receive modern "Pinaka" missiles and anti-tank weapons. The deal is estimated at approximately $244 million.
Pinaka is a multiple rocket launcher produced in India and developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for the Indian Army. The system has a maximum range of 40 km for Mark-I and 60 km for Mark-I enhanced version, and can fire a salvo of 12 rockets in 44 seconds.
Development and production
The system was developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in 1986. The manufacturer is Tata Group and Larsen & Toubro companies. The cost per regiment is estimated at US$54 million.
Pinaka is a complete MBRL system, each Pinaka battery consists of: six launcher vehicles, each with 12 rockets; six loader-replenishment vehicles; three replenishment vehicles; two Command Post vehicle (one stand by) with a Fire Control computer, and the DIGICORA MET radar. A battery of six launchers can neutralise an area of 1,000 m × 800 m.
Specifications
Length: 2.91 m (9 ft 7 in) to 5.17 m (17 ft 0 in)
Diameter: 122 mm (4.8 in) to 214 mm (8.4 in)
Caliber: 122 mm (4.8 in) (ERR 122)
214 mm (8.4 in) (Pinaka Mk-I, Mk-I Enhanced, MK-II, Guided Pinaka)
Barrels: 12
Elevation: 55°
Traverse: 90°
Rate of fire: 12 rockets per launcher or 72 rockets per battery under 44 seconds
Effective firing range: 37.5 km (23.3 mi) to 75 km (47 mi)
Maximum firing range: 90 km (56 mi)[7][9]
Warhead: HMX (high explosive fragmentation, cluster munition–incendiary, anti-personnel, anti-tank, mine-laying)
Warhead weight: 100 kg (220 lb) to 250 kg (550 lb)
Unsuccessful plagiarism of the Russian MLRS
Until recently, the production of Soviet (Russian) weapons in India was the priority of Delhi. Later, relations between the Russian Federation and India deteriorated due to the mismatch of the Russian Su-57 fighter to modern standards. As a result, India launched the production of plagiarized versions of some types of Russian weapons. Although official sources and local mass media published extensive articles about the “successes” of the Indian weapon, to this day, no one except Armenia believes in these narratives.
Poor buyer of the old weapon
Since 2020, India has been testing reactive guided munitions intended for the Pinaka MLRS. However, so far, there is no any successful results of these tests. Apparently, India has already started mass production of new rocket-propelled ammunition, so it has decided to sell these systems with the old ammunition. Thus, the new guided munitions were intended to replace the previous unguided munitions.
Geopolitical game
Aware of the funds of Armenia, which has been begging for financial aid for years, India is striving to compensate part of its old score with Russia regarding the issue of “Su-57”. In addition, Armenia, in response to Azerbaijan’s relations with India, Pakistan and China, is trying to penetrate the region in this way, which is completely against the interests of Russia.
What does experience say?
India has sold arms to Armenia before. In 2020, it supplied Armenia with four units of "Swathi" counter-battery radar worth 40 million dollars. Moreover, among the trophies taken from the positions and military units liberated from the Armenians, there were also Spike-SR anti-tank missiles, which, as it became known later, were purchased by India from Israel and resold to Armenia, which is a gross violation of the terms of the contract. However, these Indian weapons did not play any decisive role in the battles either during the Patriotic War or after it and in no way helped Armenia change the situation on the battlefield in its favor.
In general, the military-industrial complex of India does not have weight and authority among the world's main manufacturers, and this country, its armed forces are highly dependent on imports. From this point of view, the supply of one rocket-artillery battalion to Armenia can in no way upset the balance of power in the region in favor of Armenia. And yet, given the fact that this system is inferior in all its parameters to its Russian BM-21 Grad, and 97 of which were destroyed by the Azerbaijani Armed Forces in Karabakh two years ago, it is not difficult to imagine their future fate.
By Adalat Verdiyev, military expert
Tags:
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