Proof and Experimental Establishment
Encyclopedia
The Proof and Experimental Establishment (PXE) is an India
n defense laboratory of the Defence Research and Development Organisation
(DRDO). Located in Balasore
, Orissa
,its main purpose concerns the research and development of technologies and products in the area of medium and large caliber weapons and their ammunition. PXE is organized under the Armaments Directorate of DRDO. The present director of PXE is Maj.Gen. Praveen Mathur.
and Lt. R.T. Moorre as the head.
Later, the establishment was renamed to the Proof & Experimental Department, and later still was renamed as PXE. The establishment was organized under the Director General of Ordnance (DGO), India and subsequently came under the supervision of the Inspection Organisation under the DGO. After Independence, PXE was under the administrative control of DGI up to 1958. On July 15, 1947, Lt. Col. B.N. Mitra became the first Indian to head the organization. The establishment was brought under the administrative control of DRDO in October 1958.
Proving ground
and research establishment for design and developmental trials of guns, mortars, rockets, RCL, tank guns and their ammunition, including Naval guns and ammunition. It also conducts technical evaluation trials for imported weapons and ammunition as well as R&A trials for compilation of Range Tables.
PXE also conducts performance evaluation trials for tank armor
and ammunition, as well as proof of armour plates, tank turrets, ICVs, proximity fuzes, etc and also weapons and ammunition produced by Ordnance Factories/PSUs/trade firms. PXE has conducted tests of the Arjun MBT
Armor as well as tests of indigenous Explosive reactive armour. The lab has also conducted tests of other armaments such as the Indian Field Gun and the Pinaka Multi Barrel Rocket Launcher
System.
PXE also conducts comparative propellant and ballistics parameters testing and is involved in the establishment of propellant standards, in their periodical check firing and in Quality Assurance
through periodic checks of ammunition that are held in Army and Naval Depots.
PXE also has test facilities for the measurement of range and accuracy of rockets and projectiles, measurement of armor protection levels, and testing of proximity fuze
s. PXE also has labs to measure the ballistic characteristics - Internal
, External
and Terminal ballistics
.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n defense laboratory of the Defence Research and Development Organisation
Defence Research and Development Organisation
The Defence Research and Development Organisation is a agency of the Republic of India, responsible for the development of technology for use by the military, headquartered in New Delhi, India...
(DRDO). Located in Balasore
Balasore
Balasore is a strategically located city in the state of Orissa, about north of the state capital Bhubaneswar, in eastern India. It is the administrative headquarters of Balasore district. It is best known for Chandipur beach. It is also the site of the Indian Ballistic Missile Defense...
, Orissa
Orissa
Orissa , officially Odisha since Nov 2011, is a state of India, located on the east coast of India, by the Bay of Bengal. It is the modern name of the ancient nation of Kalinga, which was invaded by the Maurya Emperor Ashoka in 261 BC. The modern state of Orissa was established on 1 April...
,its main purpose concerns the research and development of technologies and products in the area of medium and large caliber weapons and their ammunition. PXE is organized under the Armaments Directorate of DRDO. The present director of PXE is Maj.Gen. Praveen Mathur.
History
In March 1894, the first proof testing in India was carried out, with there being fired six inch (152 mm) Bag Loader Howitzers and 12 Pounder Shrapnel shells under the command of Captain R.H. Mahon. He recommended the creation of a dedicated department for this purpose. The Proof Department in India was sanctioned in May 1895. It was established on November 7, 1895 with Headquarters at BalasoreBalasore
Balasore is a strategically located city in the state of Orissa, about north of the state capital Bhubaneswar, in eastern India. It is the administrative headquarters of Balasore district. It is best known for Chandipur beach. It is also the site of the Indian Ballistic Missile Defense...
and Lt. R.T. Moorre as the head.
Later, the establishment was renamed to the Proof & Experimental Department, and later still was renamed as PXE. The establishment was organized under the Director General of Ordnance (DGO), India and subsequently came under the supervision of the Inspection Organisation under the DGO. After Independence, PXE was under the administrative control of DGI up to 1958. On July 15, 1947, Lt. Col. B.N. Mitra became the first Indian to head the organization. The establishment was brought under the administrative control of DRDO in October 1958.
Areas of work
PXE is the main non-ArmyIndian Army
The Indian Army is the land based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. With about 1,100,000 soldiers in active service and about 1,150,000 reserve troops, the Indian Army is the world's largest standing volunteer army...
Proving ground
Proving ground
A proving ground is the US name for a military installation or reservation where weapons or other military technology are experimented or tested, or where military tactics are tested...
and research establishment for design and developmental trials of guns, mortars, rockets, RCL, tank guns and their ammunition, including Naval guns and ammunition. It also conducts technical evaluation trials for imported weapons and ammunition as well as R&A trials for compilation of Range Tables.
PXE also conducts performance evaluation trials for tank armor
Vehicle armour
Military vehicles are commonly armoured to withstand the impact of shrapnel, bullets, missiles, or shells, protecting the personnel inside from enemy fire. Such vehicles include tanks, aircraft, and ships....
and ammunition, as well as proof of armour plates, tank turrets, ICVs, proximity fuzes, etc and also weapons and ammunition produced by Ordnance Factories/PSUs/trade firms. PXE has conducted tests of the Arjun MBT
Arjun MBT
The Arjun is a third generation main battle tank developed by India's Defence Research and Development Organization , for the Indian Army...
Armor as well as tests of indigenous Explosive reactive armour. The lab has also conducted tests of other armaments such as the Indian Field Gun and the Pinaka Multi Barrel Rocket Launcher
Pinaka Multi Barrel Rocket Launcher
Pinaka is a multiple rocket launcher produced in India and developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation for the Indian Army. The system has a maximum range of 39–40 km and can fire a salvo of 12 HE rockets in 44 seconds, neutralizing a target area of 3.9 km2...
System.
PXE also conducts comparative propellant and ballistics parameters testing and is involved in the establishment of propellant standards, in their periodical check firing and in Quality Assurance
Quality Assurance
Quality assurance, or QA for short, is the systematic monitoring and evaluation of the various aspects of a project, service or facility to maximize the probability that minimum standards of quality are being attained by the production process...
through periodic checks of ammunition that are held in Army and Naval Depots.
Facilities
The PXE operates large test ranges. The establishment's initial land area was about 15 acres (60,702.9 m²), that area increasing to 685 acres (2.8 km²) when the range was increased in 1949 http://www.cubicao.tk/proof.html. The establishment has grown in size, in accordance with its changing role over the years. With the increased range of missiles and ordinance being tested, the test ranges have also been expanded. At present, the establishment has a notified range of 50 km in length along the sea coast and 50 km into the sea. The Range is a natural sea based range with oscillating tide conditions. During low tide, water recedes to a distance of about 3 km into the sea beach, thus facilitating various range operations.PXE also has test facilities for the measurement of range and accuracy of rockets and projectiles, measurement of armor protection levels, and testing of proximity fuze
Proximity fuze
A proximity fuze is a fuze that is designed to detonate an explosive device automatically when the distance to target becomes smaller than a predetermined value or when the target passes through a given plane...
s. PXE also has labs to measure the ballistic characteristics - Internal
Internal ballistics
Internal ballistics, a subfield of ballistics, is the study of a projectile's behavior from the time its propellant's igniter is initiated until it exits the gun barrel...
, External
External ballistics
External ballistics is the part of the science of ballistics that deals with the behaviour of a non-powered projectile in flight. External ballistics is frequently associated with firearms, and deals with the behaviour of the bullet after it exits the barrel and before it hits the target.-Forces...
and Terminal ballistics
Terminal ballistics
Terminal ballistics, a sub-field of ballistics, is the study of the behavior of a projectile when it hits its target. It is often referred to as stopping power when dealing with human or other living targets. Terminal ballistics is relevant both for small caliber projectiles as well as for large...
.
Projects and Products
PXE is an ISO 9001:2008 certified Organisation. Some Achievements of PXE include:- Established high speed photography techniques for study of sabot discarding phenomena in sub caliber projectile
- Spin measurement of projectiles by Doppler Radar and High Speed Photography Technique
- Ballistic Evaluation of gun propellants by comparative as well as absolute ballistics methods.
- Measurement of Height of Burst of Proximity fuze by Photography technique
- Easy and faster method of barrel changing in T-72 Tanks
- Recovery technique of fired projectiles both over water and over wet sand
- Recording of full trajectory data of artillery projectiles