The Nag missile is a third-generation fire and forget antitank guided missile (ATGM) developed by India as part of its effort to counter threats from modern armored vehicles. The Nag is highly capable of engaging explosive reactive armor (ERA) vehicles through its precision guidance and fire-and-forget capability, as well as its top-attack profile.
Features/Capabilities include:
- Fire-and-Forget: a true fire-and-forget capability, meaning that it can launched or away and do all target tracking without need for operator guidance.
- Top-Attack: The Nag missile is designed to attack the top of the target armored vehicle, a less protected area of armored vehicles.
- Target Discrimination: The NAG is capable of neutralizing targets with ERA, which is commonly found on modern tanks.
- Imaging Infrared Guidance: The Nag missile uses a passive imaging infrared (IIR) seeker, this means the Nag missile can find the target autonomously from launch to terminal guidance.
- Tandem Warhead: The missile features a tandem warhead designed to first penetrate the ERA and then engage the main armor.
- All Weather Capability: The Nag missile is able to operate in a multitude of weather conditions.
- Lock-on After Launch: The Nag missile can lock-on and engage the target after launch.
Variants and Deployment: - Namica (Nag Missile Carrier) : The Nag missile can be mounted on a track, anti-tank vehicle called a NAMICA.
- HELINA (Helicopter launched NAG): There is also a helicopter launched version of Nag, called HELINA for air-to-surface attacks.
- Duvastra: An advanced version of HELINA for infantry use.
- MPATGM (Man Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile): A man-portable version of the Nag missile, designed for infantry use.
Development:
- The Nag missile was developed by the Defense Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) under India’s Integrated Guided Missile Development Program (IGMDP).
- It is part of India’s efforts to achieve self-reliance in defense manufacturing.
