New Delhi, India (CU)_ India successfully test fired the home-made anti-tank guided missile systems ‘Helina’ and ‘Dhruvastra’ on Friday, which is referred as one of the most advanced anti-tank weapons in the world by the defense ministry. The Army version Helina missile and the Air Force version Dhruvastra missile test was carried out at Pokhran deserts in Rajasthan. The two missile systems have been designed and developed by the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO).
The Defense Ministry described about the missile saying, “The system has all-weather day-and-night capability and can defeat battle tanks with conventional armor as well as with explosive reactive armor. It is one of the most-advanced anti-tank weapons in the world”.
The DRDO said that they conducted five missions to test the capabilies of the anti-tank guided missiles in minimum and maximum range, and some missions were conducted with warheads against direct links. Another mission was conducted against a fast moving target from a forward flying helicopter. The joint user trials for Helina and Dhruvastra missiles were conducted from Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) platform in desert ranges.
A statement from the ministry explained about the mission tests. “The missiles were fired in hover and max forward flight against realistic static and moving targets. Some missions were carried out with warheads against derelict tanks. A mission was carried out against a moving target from a forward flying helicopter”.
The ‘Helina’ and ‘Dhruvastra’ are the third-generation anti-tank guided missiles which can hit targets both in direct hit mode as well as top attack mode. The Defense Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated the DRDO, the Army and Indian Air Force for successfully completing the test fire mission. DRDO Chairman G Satheesh Reddy thanked the efforts of teams involved in the successful mission.
