INDIA. Mumbai: The ‘Helina,’ an indigenously built helicopter-launched Anti-Tank Guided Missile, was successfully flight tested at high altitudes as part of user validation trials on April 11 in Pokhran, Rajasthan.
Teams of experts from the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the Indian Army, and the Indian Air Force collaborated on the flying test (IAF).
The missile was successfully fired at a simulated tank target during the flight trials, which were conducted from an Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH). An Imaging Infrared (IIR) Seeker working in the Lock on Before Launch mode guides the missile. It is one of the world’s most advanced anti-tank weapons.
“In continuation to validation trials, this proof of efficacy at high altitudes paves the way for its integration into the ALH. The trials were witnessed by senior Army commanders and senior scientists of the DRDO,” an official statement said.
Helina is a weaponized version of the ALH with a maximum range of seven kilometres. It was created and developed for integration on the armed version of the ALH. The Helina missile system is capable of operating in all weather conditions, at all hours of the day and night, and can defeat battle tanks with conventional and explosive reactive armour. It was designed to work with both Army and Air Force helicopters.
Helina has the ability to engage targets in both indirect and top assault modes. The missile must climb swiftly after launch and travel at a specified altitude before plunging to the top of the target in the top strike mode. The missile flies at a lower height in direct hit mode, striking the target directly.
Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), Hyderabad, developed Helina as part of the DRDO’s Missiles and Strategic Systems (MSS) cluster.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh commended the DRDO and the Indian Army on their first joint success. Dr. G Satheesh Reddy, Secretary of the Department of Defense R&D and Chairman of the DRDO, complimented the teams on their outstanding performance under difficult conditions.
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