On January 12, 2026, the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO), under the Ministry of Defence (MoD), successfully conducted the flight test of the Third-Generation Man-Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM) with top‑attack capability against a moving target at the KK Ranges in Ahilya Nagar, Maharashtra.
Exam Hints:
- What? Flight test of Third-Generation MPATGM was conducted
- Who? DRDO (MoD)
- Where? Ahilya Nagar (Maharashtra)
- Conducted by: Defence Research & Development Laboratory (DRDL), Hyderabad.
- Range: 200 m to 4 km
- Launch Platform: Tripod or military vehicle‑mounted launcher
- Key Features: Fire-and-forget capability, IIR homing seeker, all‑electric control system, tandem warhead, advanced propulsion, high-performance sighting system
- Production Partners: BDL & BEL
Key Details of Test:
Conducted By: The test was conducted by the Defence Research & Development Laboratory (DRDL) of DRDO, Hyderabad, Telangana.
Launch Platform: It was launched from a tripod or a military vehicle‑mounted launcher.
Test Objective: Validated flight performance, accuracy, and effectiveness against moving and static armored targets.
About Man-Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM):
Overview: MPATGM is a lightweight, sophisticated anti-armour missile.It is a third generation, fire-and-forget anti-tank weapon developed with an aim to enable infantry to destroy armored threats.
Production Partners: Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) served as the Development‑Cum‑Production Partners (DcPP) for the system.
Deployment: It is designed to be carried and operated by a small team and can be deployed from a tripod or launch tube for precision targeting in battle.
Key Features: MPATGM is about 1.3 metres (m) long with a diameter of around 120 millimeters (mm). The missile weighs approximately 14.5 kilogram (kg) and the Command Launch Unit (CLU) weighs about 14.25 kg, making the system portable and powerful.
- Its effective management range is approximately from 200m to 4 km, giving infantry units the ability to neutralize armoured threats at close and medium distances.
Capability: It uses an advanced Imaging Infrared (IIR) seeker coupled with modern avionics for guidance and control, enabling fire-and-forget capability and allowing the system to operate effectively during day and night as well as in all-weather conditions.
- The missile can be employed in two attack profiles such as direct attack for engaging targets in a straight line of sight, and top-attack mode, in which the missile climbs and then strikes the target from above, where the armor of tanks is weakest.
Indigenous Technologies: The indigenously developed MPATGM incorporated advanced home‑grown technologies, including an Imaging Infrared (IIR) homing seeker, an all‑electric control actuation system, a fire control system, a tandem warhead, an integrated propulsion system, and a high‑performance sighting system, developed by multiple DRDO labs.
Alignment: The successful flight test aligns with the Government of India (GoI)’s vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat (Self-Reliant India).
About Bharat Dynamic Limited (BDL):
Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) – Commodore A Madhavrao (Retired)
Headquarters – Hyderabad, Telangana
Established – 1970
