Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh): India has plans to increase the production of indigenously developed `Pinaka` multiple barrel rocket to meet its defence needs.
Pinaka, which is fired from multi-barrel rocket launcher (MBRL), has a range of 40 kilometres.
The system is mounted on a tatra truck for mobility. A battery of Pinaka consists of six launcher systems, six loader-cum-replenishment vehicles, three replenishment vehicles, a command post vehicle with fire control computer and meteorological radar.
In 2014, about 5,000 rockets were produced while an advanced variant is being developed with enhanced range and accuracy.
"Definitely, demand from the Indian army for this rocket has increased that is why our ordnance factory in Kanpur has laid so much stress on the quality of `Pinaka` rockets," said Jayant Kumar, an ordnance factory officer.
The rocket was first used in the 1999 Kargil war against Pakistan.
"The rocket is cable of destroying a target area of 500 metres to 1,000 metres when it hits. This is its biggest quality," Kumar added.
Indian scientists began work on Pinaka in 1983. The system has a maximum range of 39-40 km and fires a salvo of 12 HE rockets in under 40 seconds, with a beaten zone of 3.9 square kilometres.
