New Delhi: The DRDO is currently testing a
new short-range coastal security rocket system for deployment
on shore and on board ships to target rogue boats such as
those used by terrorists to carry out the Mumbai attacks.
The DRDO's Chandipur-based Proof and Experimental
Establishment (PXE) is testing the 4-km range 140mm rockets
that can accurately target the smaller boats and sink them,
according to S Sundaresh, Chief Controller of Research and
Development (Armament and Combat Engineering) of the premier defence research agency.
Developed in collaboration with the Ordnance Factory
Board (OFB) and Navy's Directorate General of Naval Armament and Inspection, the rockets' development and likely production are being fast-tracked following the 26/11 terror strikes, he said.
PXE Director Major General P Mathur said the coastal
security weapon comes with a launcher and 12 rockets that can be fired simultaneously to rain the warhead over the intended target.
"This is cost-effective weapon system. But it is now in
the developmental stage. OFB is the production agency," Mathur said.
The remote operated rocket system is an indigenous
development that emerged out of the confluence of the minds
from the OFB, DRDO and the Navy, who would be the users of the weapon.
"It has been proposed to deploy these rockets all along
the 7,516-km-long coastline of ours including the island
territories. We expect the weapon system to go into production
within months from now," a Navy officer associated with the
project said.
"Apart from being deployed on the shore, the rocket
system can be mounted on ships too," he added.
To acquire targets, the user will have to visually
identify the rogue or enemy boats and then use his remote
control to fire the rocket barrage on them.
Though the three defence agencies were already working on the rocket system project even before the 26/11 attack, the
weapon has now become "a hot property" and there is a sense of urgency to get it operational, Navy officials added.
PTI
First Published: Wednesday, December 01, 2010, 21:18