Indian’s DRDO Successfully Flight Tested Indigenously Developed MPATGM

In a major boost to Atma Nirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) and strengthening Indian Army, Indian Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully flight tested indigenously developed low weight, fire and forget Man Portable Antitank Guided Missile (MPATGM) today 21st July 2021. The MPATGM is an Indian third-generation fire-and-forget anti-tank guided missile derived from Nag ATGM. It is currently under development by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in partnership with Indian defence contractor VEM Technologies Private Limited.

DRDO started work on a man-portable version of the Nag missile in 2005. On 20 December 2017, India cancelled a major deal for acquiring the Israeli Spike (ATGM) in favour of the DRDO MPATGM, after deciding that no transfer of technology was needed for the development of MPATGM. DRDO started work on a man-portable version of the Nag missile in 2005. On 20 December 2017, India cancelled a major deal for acquiring the Israeli Spike (ATGM) in favour of the DRDO MPATGM, after deciding that no transfer of technology was needed for the development of MPATGM.

The Man Portable Antitank Guided Missile will be manufactured by Bharat Dynamics Limited at a facility located in Bhanoor, Telangana. This facility was inaugurated on September 29, 2018. The MPATGM is a low weight, long cylindrical missile with a group of four fins around its mid-section. It is fitted with high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) warhead. The missile has a length of about 1,300 mm and a diameter of about 120 mm with aluminum and carbon fiber launch tube and collapsible tripod to save on weight.

The MPATGM has a weight of 14.5 kg, with its command launch unit (CLU) weighing 14.25 kg which combines a laser designator with digital all-weather sight. It has a range of about 2.5 km. The MPATGM is equipped with an advanced imaging infrared (IIR) sensor and integrated avionics. The missile has top attack capability. It reportedly share many similarities with systems such as FGM-148 Javelin, and Spike (ATGM). On 11 September 2019, DRDO carried out the first trial of the MPATGM successfully. The target of the test was a dummy tank, which was hit in top attack mode.