Tech in Focus : Nag Anti-tank Missile

3 successive Nag missiles were test-fired and hit their targets precisely at the Pokhran Firing range. As per the Government sources, the missile is currently in its the final stages of induction into the Indian Army.

What is the Nag?

• The Nag missile is a modern third generation anti-tank guided missile.
• It can be used in all weather conditions, night and day and has a top attack missile with a range of 3 to 7 km.
• It can be used in fire and forget mode ( an attack computer acquires the target and feeds the data to the missile which then follows the target without any further intervention by the operator).
• It is being developed by India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Program and will be mass-manufactured by the Bharat Dynamics Limited.
• The Defence Acquisition Council(DAC) had in 2018 approved the procurement of the Nag Missile System (NAMIS) at the cost of Rs. 524 crore.
• The system consists of the third generation Anti-Tank Guided Missile, the Nag, along with the Missile Carrier Vehicle (NAMICA).
• NAMICA is an armored vehicle which will be used to transport and protect the operators of the Nag missile.

Integrated Missile Development Programme

The Nag is just one of the first five strategic missiles that are to be developed under the Integrated Missile Development Programme (IMDP). The IMDP was initiated in the 1980s. The other missiles developed under the IMDP are the Agni, Prithvi, and Akash. These three missiles have been successfully developed and inducted into the armed forces.
The other project, The Trishul was shut down after being developed as a technology demonstrator.