PM Modi visits Solar Defence facilties in Nagpur, launches loitering munition test range, MALE drone runway

Nagpur (Maharashtra) [India], March 30 (ANI): Seeking to further promote Aatmanirbharta in defence, PM Narendra Modi on Sunday visited the Solar Defence and Aerospace Ltd complex.
During the visit, the PM was briefed by the Solar Industries chairman Satyanarayan Nuwal on the various weapon test facilities and product range of the company.
In the Technical Area, the Prime Minister inaugurated the Loiter Munition Test Range. Spread over 1080 acres, this test range has a dedicated Command and Control Centre, UAV Take off Area, endurance and communication range and many other facilities.
The PM also visited the product gallery wherein Solar Defence showcased its products like Pinaka Rocket System, air-bombs, mines, grenade, military explosives, Anti tank Guided Missile (ATGM), Nagastra 1 & 2 Loiter Munitions, and many more.
The PM also inaugurated the newly constructed air strip which is a 1.27 km runway facility built for development & testing of MALE/HALE Class Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS).
Solar Defence said it has taken a big initiative for developing a MALE UAV and a suo-moto proposal has already been submitted to IAF which is under consideration.
The Prime Minister also witnessed the display of the state of art indigenously developed systems viz. Loiter Munition (Nagastra 3), Bhargavastra (Micro-Missile based Counter Drone System) and Bhaumastra (Mine Detection & Disposal System).
Keeping in view the futuristic requirements of this emerging technology, Solar Defence said it has taken the initiative to develop Nagastra series of Loiter Munitions of ranges from 15 km to more than 100 km and explosive payload carrying capability from 1 kg to 10 kg.
Nagastra 3 is a Vehicle Launched Loiter Munition System of endurance 3 hours and range of 100 km. It can carry 8.5 kg warhead. It is being developed under Make 2 project from Arty of Indian Army.
The Bhargavastra is an indigenously designed and developed Counter Drone System meant for quick interception of drones for an assured hard kill using tiny, guided missiles with swarm engagement capability. This solution offers mobile protection against drone attacks with near simultaneous engagement of multiple drones.
With a long range of detection (upto 6 km) and a long range of neutralization (upto 2.5 km), it ensures the safety of vulnerable assets/battlefield formations.
SDAL has taken an initiative to address the global menace of landmine detection and disposal. As per some estimates, there are more than 11 million buried mines worldwide that remain uncleared and are causing casualties or maiming of both soldiers and civilians in peacetime. Bhaumastra, a drone-based system under development by SDAL, would be the first of its kind in any developed nation to provide a drone-based solution to this global problem. (ANI)