Armor: June 24, 2002

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Two indigenously developed 'Nag' anti-tank guided missiles (ATGM) were successfully test fired from the Interim Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur-on-sea, about 15 kms from Balasore on 21 June. The missiles were test fired from special containers in clear sunny weather, to establish their advanced maneuverability and top attack trajectory. Indian officials said the tests were routine and had nothing to do with the current military stand-off with Pakistan.

The 'Nag' is a third generation heat-seeking top-attack missile, one of the five missiles developed under the supervision of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)'s integrated guided missile development program. The infrared homing guidance system has lock-on-before-launch capability for day and night operation, allowing the gunner system with "fire and forget". The Indians claim that the missile can penetrate most types of armor out to a range of four to eight kilometers (2.5 to 5 miles) and can be fired from a helicopter or a tracked vehicle. - Adam Geibel