DRDO successfully tests ULPGM-V3 missile | All about the indigenous weapon

IN a john major advance to India's defence capabilities, the Defence search and evolution Organisation (DRDO) has successfully completed the last development trials of the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Launched Precision Guided Missile (ULPGM)-V3.According to officials quoted in a PTI report, the tests were successful in both air-to-ground and air-to-air modes.The defence ministry informed in a statement that the trials were conducted at a DRDO test range near Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh using an integrated ground control system (GCS) to command and control the ULPGM weapon system.The GCS features state-of-the-art technologies to automate readiness and launch operations."The Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) has successfully completed the final deliverable configuration development trials of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Launched Precision Guided Missile (ULPGM)-V3 in air-to-ground and air-to-air modes," the ministry statement said. What is ‘Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Launched Precision Guided Missile-V3’?The ULPGM-V3, also known as the ULM-ER (Extended Range), is an indigenous, fire-and-forget, precision-guided missile specifically engineered for launch from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs or combat drones) to eliminate stationary and moving tactical threats on the ground and in the air.According to the defence ministry, it has been developed by Research Centre Imarat, Hyderabad, as the nodal lab, in collaboration with other DRDO laboratories, including Defence Research & Development Laboratory (DRDL), Hyderabad; Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory (TBRL), Chandigarh; and High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL), Pune.The missile has been produced entirely through the Indian defence ecosystem involving a large number of MSMEs and other industries.The DRDO partnered with two production agencies -- Bharat Dynamics Limited, Hyderabad and Adani Defence Systems & Technologies Limited, Hyderabad, for the development and production of the missiles.The system has been integrated with UAVs developed by Newspace Research and Technologies, Bengaluru, for current trials.The trials confirmed a fully mature domestic supply chain, equipped for immediate serial mass production, the ministry said.Applause pours in for DRDODefence minister Rajnath Singh congratulated the DRDO, PSUs, defence-cum-production partners, and industry stakeholders for the successful development trials of the ULPGM-V3 in air-to-ground mode for the anti-tank role and in air-to-air mode for drone, helicopter, and other airborne targets.He termed it a strategic milestone achieved towards 'aatmanirbharta' in defence.Department of Defence (DoD) Research and Development (R&D) Secretary and DRDO Chairman Samir V Kamat congratulated all teams involved in the successful trials, the defence ministry statement added.