Indian MBRLS Pinaka Thread

[Chinmoy]

They can also be nuclear tipped. They are a great addition to artillery.

Pinaka's rocket diameter is 8.42 inch and you want to equip it with a nuclear warhead?

 

[Srinivas_K]

Pinaka's rocket diameter is 8.42 inch and you want to equip it with a nuclear warhead?

An American eight-inch W33 nuclear artillery shell. This warhead had a number of different yield options (e.g., five kilotons). It could be fired from any standard eight-inch (203mm) howitzer (e.g., the M110 or M115)

 

[Chinmoy]

What sort of explosive does Pinaka use? If 12 Pinakas can destroy 4 sq. km. that means 1 has an approximate blast range of 330 metres.

Pinaka uses conventional HE. Its warhead weights at 250 kg.

 

[Chinmoy]

An American eight-inch W33 nuclear artillery shell. This warhead had a number of different yield options (e.g., five kilotons). It could be fired from any standard eight-inch (203mm) howitzer (e.g., the M110 or M115)

And it was so futile that US shelved the program. Why? It can't have the desired effect of an nuclear blast.

 

[Srinivas_K]

And it was so futile that US shelved the program. Why? It can't have the desired effect of an nuclear blast.

This is 1950's tech, imagine the tech advancements now.

 

[pankaj nema]

Pinaka's rocket diameter is 8.42 inch and you want to equip it with a nuclear warhead?

Mini Nukes are to be fitted with Prahar missiles

Pinaka will have conventional warheads because they will be used
in areas where Our Infantry and Tanks are going to attack immediately after

That is Pinaka salvo is followed by Infantry Armour attacks

We cannot contaminate a place where our own soldiers are going to land

 

[Chinmoy]

This is 1950's tech, imagine the tech advancements now.

You are forgetting the very logic of yield/kg for any nuclear warhead. Miniaturizing a nuclear warhead is one thing, and getting the yield out of it is another.
But lets leave this discussion for another thread and not derail this one.

 

[tejas warrior]

What sort of explosive does Pinaka use? If 12 Pinakas can destroy 4 sq. km. that means 1 has an approximate blast range of 330 metres.

Area Denial Munition WARHEAD FOR PINAKA CLEARS TRIAL

 

[Kshatriya87]

They can also be nuclear tipped. They are a great addition to artillery.

That I know. I'm interested in knowing the conventional explosive material used.

Also, if it was used in Kargil, why did we suffer so many loses in manpower? Shouldn't they have destroyed the complete area including bunkers before our forces went in?

 

[Kshatriya87]

Pinaka uses conventional HE. Its warhead weights at 250 kg.

There is also some conflicting info here.

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/india/pinaka.htm

A single Pinaka I launcher with 12 rockets can neutralize a target area of 3.9 km2. 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 neutralize an area of 1000 m x 800 m. The Army generally deploys a battery that has a total of 72 rockets. All the 72 rockets can be fired in 44 seconds, taking out an area of 1 km2. Each launcher can fire in a different direction too. The system has the flexibility to fire all the rockets in one go or only a few.


It says 12 rockets can destroy an area of 3.9km2 but then it goes on to say that 72 rockets can destroy 1km2?

 

[Kshatriya87]

This is 1950's tech, imagine the tech advancements now.

Pinakas can also carry anti-tank mines.

 

[Kshatriya87]

What sort of explosive does Pinaka use? If 12 Pinakas can destroy 4 sq. km. that means 1 has an approximate blast range of 330 metres.

Area Denial Munition WARHEAD FOR PINAKA CLEARS TRIAL

View attachment 13380

@Srinivas_K @Chinmoy So as per the above, 1 ADM warhead can destroy an area of 10000metres i.e. 100m2. This means that we are already using a warhead with a better blast range than this.

 

[Srinivas_K]

That I know. I'm interested in knowing the conventional explosive material used.

Also, if it was used in Kargil, why did we suffer so many loses in manpower? Shouldn't they have destroyed the complete area including bunkers before our forces went in?

They have only built stone walls and some covers on it during Kargil, pinakas are not accurate at that time,

 

[Srinivas_K]

Pinakas can also carry anti-tank mines.

Not anti tank mines but the blast can nullify huge armoured concentrations and bunkers.

 

[Kshatriya87]

They have only built stone walls and some covers on it during Kargil, pinakas are not accurate at that time,

But that's the point isn't it. Pinakas will be of course more lethal when they are accurate. But even if they are not, they should be able to take out enemy positions given the concentrated fire of a number of missiles which claims to destroy 4 sq kms.

 

[Kshatriya87]

On a similar note, here is a bit more insite in explosives


DRDO Lab Develops Powerful Explosive CL-20

PUNE (PTI): A new high explosive is in the making at a DRDO lab here that could replace other standard explosives of the armed forces such as RDX, HMX, FOX-7 and Amorphous Boron.

Scientists at the Pune-based High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL) have already synthesised adequate quantity of CL-20, the new explosive, in their laboratory.

"It is the most powerful non-nuclear explosive yet known to man," according to Dr.A K Sikder, HEMRL's Joint Director, who heads the High Energy Materials Division.

The powerful explosive can substantially reduce the weight and size of the warhead while packing much more punch.

In fact, the RDX is not the standard explosive in use with the Indian Armed Forces, but the warheads are mostly packed with HMX, FOX-7 or Amorphous Boron.

The compound, 'Indian CL-20' or 'ICL-20', was indigenously developed in HEMRL using inverse technology.

"The HEMRL has taken India to an elite club of countries with advanced capabilities in the field of Energetic Materials," according to Manish Bhardwaj, a senior Scientist with the DRDO lab.

In fact, CL-20 is such a fascination for the HEMRL that a larger-than-life size model of the compound occupies the pride of place as one enters the portals of the main building of the DRDO's premier lab in Pune.

CL-20, so named after the China Lake facility of the Naval Air Weapons Station in California, US, was first synthesised by Dr Arnold Nielson in 1987.

CL-20 or Octa-Nitro-Cubane is a Nitramine class of explosive 15 times as powerful as HMX, His/Her Majesty Explosive or High Melting Explosive or Octogen, a Defence ministry spokesperson said.

The HMX itself is more than four times as potent as the Research Developed Explosive or Royal Demolition Explosive or Cyclonite or Hexogen, commonly known as RDX.

"CL-20 offers the only option within the next 10-15 years to meet the requirements of the Indian armed forces for futuristic weapons," Sikder said.

"CL-20-based Shaped Charges significantly improve the penetration over armours," he said, adding that it could be used in the bomb for the 120-mm main gun mounted on the MBT Arjun tanks.

"But the costs of mass production of ICL-20 are still prohibitive," he said.

Compared to Rs 750 per kilogram it takes to produce RDX in the factory, the HMX is worth about Rs 6,000 per kg, while a kilogram of CL-20 costs a whopping Rs 70,000 per kg.

"We have a tie up with industry partner for intermediate commercial exploitation of ICL-20," said Dr A Subhananda Rao, Director of HEMRL.

About 100 kg of ICL-20 has been produced by HEMRL in collaboration with the Premier Explosives Limited (PEL).

The CL-20, which looks like limestone or grainy talcum powder, is being manufactured by the PEL factory at Peddakanlukur village in Nalgonda district of Andhra Pradesh.

"The advantage with the CL-20 is its reduced sensitivity," Sikder said, noting that it enabled easy handling and transportation of the lethal weaponry.

The HEMRL is now concentrating on the Reduced Shock Sensitivity (RSS) explosives, such as RSS-RDX, which costs about Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,000 per kg, and RSS-HMX.

"There is a whole array of low sensitivity material or Insensitive Munitions we are working on," said Rao.

"The world around there is a lot of R&D being pumped into what are called the Green Explosives, as also the advanced Insensitive Munitions (IM) and RSS explosives," Sikder said, adding that it reduced the chances of mishap and loss to men, money, materials and machines.

 

[Kshatriya87]

Not anti tank mines but the blast can nullify huge armoured concentrations and bunkers.

Going by this link http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/india/pinaka.htm

It can be fitted with a variety of warheads ranging from blast-cum-pre-fragmented high explosives to anti-tank mines.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinaka_multi_barrel_rocket_launcher

Warheads

• Fragmentation high explosive
• Incendiary
• Anti-Tank and Anti-Personnel minelettes
• Anti-Tank bomblettes

 

[Srinivas_K]

Going by this link http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/india/pinaka.htm

It can be fitted with a variety of warheads ranging from blast-cum-pre-fragmented high explosives to anti-tank mines.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinaka_multi_barrel_rocket_launcher

Warheads

• Fragmentation high explosive
• Incendiary
• Anti-Tank and Anti-Personnel minelettes
• Anti-Tank bomblettes

Minelettes and mines are different.

 

[Kshatriya87]

Minelettes and mines are different.

What is a minelette?
.................................

 

[Chinmoy]

There is also some conflicting info here.

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/india/pinaka.htm

A single Pinaka I launcher with 12 rockets can neutralize a target area of 3.9 km2. 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 neutralize an area of 1000 m x 800 m. The Army generally deploys a battery that has a total of 72 rockets. All the 72 rockets can be fired in 44 seconds, taking out an area of 1 km2. Each launcher can fire in a different direction too. The system has the flexibility to fire all the rockets in one go or only a few.


It says 12 rockets can destroy an area of 3.9km2 but then it goes on to say that 72 rockets can destroy 1km2?

Don't go by that post. It also states something like this..

The indigenously built Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launcher Weapon Area System can fire rockets with a range of 39-40 km, in a salvo of 12 rockets with 1.2 tons of high explosives within 40 seconds. The complete system comprises a launch vehicle, a loader / replenishment vehicle, and a command post vehicle with a battery of six launchers. Pinaka can neutralise a target area of 350 square kilometres, and is meant as a supplement to the existing artillery system at a range beyond 30 km.

Now look at the underlines part. As per that 12 rocket could carry 1.2 ton or 100 kg warhead per rocket. But it is a well known fact that Pinaka rocket could carry more then double the warhead. Also look at the area coverage, 350 square kilometer .