Developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for operational deployment by both mechanised infantry and airborne forces of the Indian Army, the Nag(Cobra)is an all-weather third-generation, fire-and-forget, Anti-Tank Guided Weapon (ATGW) indigenously developed to counter modern main battle tanks (MBT) and other armoured targets. The ATGW is presently armed with an advanced Bharat Dynamics (BDL)–produced passive Imaging Infra-Red (IIR) Homing Mercury Cadmium Telluride (HgCdTe) Focal Plane Array (FPA) seeker to achieve high single-shot kill probability even in dense electronic countermeasures environment. The missile is optionally offered with a Millimetre Wave (MMW) fire-and-forget Active Radar Homing (ARH) seeker and fired in swarms against advancing high density MBT columns. The Nag also features top-attack capability.
Nag’s airframe is built from lightweight and high-strength composite materials featuring four foldable wings and has a length of 1.85m, diameter of 0.20m, wing span of 0.4m and weight of 43kg. A blunt nose cone houses the guidance system, while the middle portion accommodates a compact sensor package and main charge of the warhead. A booster rocket motor is located towards the rear, and four tail fins are fitted at the rear to stabilise the missile while in flight. A real-time image processor with rapid and efficient algorithms is installed next to the guidance section to provide automatic target detection and tracking capabilities. Control of the missile in roll, pitch and yaw is achieved by moving the rear fins with all electric actuating system using power from the thermal batteries. The digital autopilot offers guidance, stability and control for the missile during the flight.
The Nag and HELINA seen side by side
The Nag ATGW is fitted with a high-energy propulsion system consisting of a booster and smokeless nitramine Extruded Double Base (EDB) sustainer, propelling the weapon to a velocity of 230 metres/second. Range of the terrestrial (Prospina) version mounted on the tracking-cum-launch Nag Missile Carrier (Namica) in a pack of six with Lock-On-Before Launch (Lobl) capability is from 500 metres to 4 kilometres, while the Helicopter Launched Nag (Helina)integrated with HAL Rudra (ALH WSI) and the HAL Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) with Lock-On After Launch (Loal) can reach to 7 to 10 kilometres. The radar guided upgraded version (Helina/Sant) pushes the range up to 15 to 20 kilometres to facilitate stand-off capability.
The 2.5 km range Man Portable Anti-tank Guided Missile (MPATGM) version is lighter (14.5 kg) in comparison and can be shoulder launched against advancing armour and bunker/fortifications.A 8 kg tandem-shaped charge High-Explosive Anti-Tank (HEAT) warhead, with a precursor and a main charge, provides the weapon with a high kill probability. After the precursor charge penetrates the Explosive Reactive Armour (ERA) of hostile tanks, the main charge is intended to destroy the main armour.
Sayan Majumdar