NAG Missile: Features

NAG Missile: Features

Question: Indigenously developed helicopter launched missile NAG was recently test fired at the Chandhan Firing Range in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan. Discuss its main features.

- This helicopter launched Nag missile was test fired from Chandhan firing range in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan

- The HeliNa missile has been indigenously developed

- This is constructed by the DRDO

- It is a third generation fire and forget missile and can be used during night and day

- It is also equipped with top attack capabilities to nullify the reactive armour of the battle tank

- It weighs 42 kgs in mass and it is 1.90m in length

- It can be fired against moving as well as fixed targets

- Apart from HeliNa, it has land, air and man portable(weighing 14 kilos) versions

- For carrying its land version, NAMICA or Nag Missile Carrier has been developed for the army

- Targets ranging from 500m to 4km can be hit by the land based versions while air launched version’s range is between 7 to 10 km and this can carry warheads weighing upto 8 kgs

- NAG Missile has been developed with the budget of INR 300 crore by the DRDO under the IGMDP

- NAG also has state of the art imaging infra red homing guidance system and lock on before launch capability for night as well as day operations

- Its composite airframe has high strength

- The missile system also comes equipped with foldable wings and fins, onboard real time processor with fast and efficient algorithms, digital autopilot and high immunity to counter measures

Facts and Stats

- Earlier trials of this third generation missile were conducted at Pokhran Firing Range and Integrated Test Range at Chandipur

- Trials were conducted against moving and stationary targets for different ranges of 2.8 to 3.2 km for evaluating the performance of improved version of Imaging Infrared Seeker

- HeliNa missile will also be integrated with ALH Dhruv produced by HAL

- HeliNa is a helicopter based version of NAG developed by DRDO