India successfully tests UAV launched precision guided missile

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The North News
New Delhi, July 25

India has successfully tested its latest precision-guided missile launched from an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), marking a significant advancement in indigenous defence capabilities. The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) conducted the flight trials of the third-generation Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Launched Precision Guided Missile (ULPGM-V3) at the National Open Area Range in Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh.

An upgraded version of its predecessor, the ULPGM-V2, this new missile variant is fitted with a high-definition dual-channel seeker, giving it the ability to lock onto a diverse range of targets. Designed for operations across both plains and high-altitude terrains, it also boasts day-and-night functionality and a two-way data link, allowing post-launch updates to targets or aim-points.

The missile’s versatility is underpinned by three interchangeable warhead types—an anti-armour warhead capable of defeating Explosive Reactive Armour (ERA), a penetration-cum-blast warhead designed for bunker-busting, and a pre-fragmentation warhead that creates a high-lethality zone.

The current trial tested the anti-armour variant. The missile was launched from a UAV developed by Newspace Research Technologies, a Bengaluru-based Indian start-up. The development reflects a growing partnership between government research agencies and the private sector. DRDO has said it is now working with a number of Indian firms to integrate the ULPGM with long-range, high-endurance UAVs.

The project is a collaboration among several DRDO labs, including the Research Centre Imarat, Defence Research and Development Laboratory, Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory, and others. Two development-cum-production partners—Adani Defence and Bharat Dynamics Limited—played central roles, along with contributions from over 30 micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and start-ups.

India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh praised the achievement, describing it as a testament to India’s maturing defence manufacturing ecosystem. “This is proof that our industry is ready to absorb and deliver critical technologies,” he said in a statement.

Dr Samir V. Kamat, DRDO Chair and Secretary of Defence R&D, echoed the sentiment, calling the missile’s development “the need of the hour” and congratulating the public-private teams involved.