About Pinaka missile system

• Pinaka is a multi barrel rocket launch (MBRL) system used by the Indian Army.
• It was developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
• It is an all-weather, indirect fire, free flight artillery rocket system.

• It provides a unique capability to accurately deliver a devastatingly lethal and responsive fire against a variety of area targets such as exposed enemy troops, armored and soft skin vehicles, communication centers, air terminal complexes, fuel and ammunition dumps.
• The Pinaka weapon system consists of Rocket, Multi Barrel Rocket launcher, Battery Command Post, Loader cum Replenishment Vehicle, Replenishment Vehicle and Digicora MET Radar

Astra Missiles

• Astra is India’s first beyond-visual-range (BVR) air-to-air missile indigenously designed and developed by DRDO.
• It is intended to engage and destroy aerial targets with high manoeuvrability and supersonic speeds.

• The missile’s advanced air combat capabilities allow it to engage multiple high-performance targets.
• Astra was planned to equip the Indian Air force’s Su-30MKI and Mirage 2000 multi-role combat fighters, and MiG-29 and MiG-21 Bison fighter jet platforms, Tejas light combat aircraft (LCA), as well as the Indian Navy’s Sea Harrier jet fighter.
• The Astra missile is developed as part of the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP) of the Indian Ministry of Defence.

LRLACM

• The Long Range Land Attack Cruise Missile (LRLACM) is a new home-grown, subsonic missile which will be inducted by mid 2023.
• The missile project has been designated to Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE ), a Bangalore-based DRDO lab developing unmanned systems.
• The LRLACM will be an upgraded derivative of the Nirbhay missile.
• Similar to Nirbhay, LRLACM too will be capable of flying at low altitude with sea-skimming capabilities.
• Nirbhay, a  sub-sonic long range land attack cruise missile with a range of over 1000 km, had been under development by the DRDO.

Why in News?

India and Russia signed defence deals including Pinaka ammunition, armoured vehicle BMP upgrades and Software Defined Radio (SDR) for the Army, LRLAM systems of over 1000 km range and Astra missiles for the Navy and Air Force, all of which will be procured domestically