Dexterously crafted Helicopter launched Anti-Tank Guided Missile ‘HELINA’ has been successfully flight tested from Army Helicopter at 1400hrs in the ranges of Pokhran on Sunday, 19TH Aug 2018. The weapon system has been tested for its full range. The ‘HELINA’ weapon system released smoothly from the launch platform has tracked the target all through its course and hit the target with high precision.
The Missile is guided by an Infrared Imaging Seeker (IIR) operating in the Lock on Before Launch mode. The missile is one of the most advanced anti-tank weapons in the world.
Smart Anti-Airfield Weapon (SAAW) was also successfully flight tested from an Indian Air Force aircraft at Chandan range in Rajasthan.
HeliNa, (Helicopter-launched Nag) with a range of 7–8 km, launched from twin-tube stub wing-mounted launchers on board the armed HAL Dhruv and HAL Light Combat Helicopter produced by state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL).The weapon has undergone eight developmental trials till date and performance of system for different ranges under multiple launch conditions has been demonstrated. Senior officials from DRDO, Indian Army, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Indian Air Force (IAF) were present during the mission.
SAAW will be the part of Indian Air Force and Helina missile will part with the Army’s weaponry
The Helina missile has top attack functionality. As the missile approaches the target, images of the area ahead are sent back to the operator who will be able to identify enemy tanks. The command to lock on to a tank is then passed onto the seeker through an uplink mid-flight. After that, the missile homes in onto the target and destroys it.
All the parameters were monitored by the telemetry stations, tracking systems and the Helicopters.
Raksha Mantri Smt Nirmala Sitharaman congratulated the DRDO and the Indian Army on the successful flight test for further strengthening the defence capabilities of the country.
