BALASORE: India on Saturday successfully test-fired its medium-range surface-to-air missile Akash for the second time in three days from a defence base off the Odisha coast. The missile targeted a pilot-less target aircraft (PTA).
The missile was test fired by the personnel of Indian armed forces at about 11.10 am from the specially made launch pad near launching complex-III of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur-on-sea. They had test-fired Akash successfully from the same test range on May 24.
The indigenously-developed missile, which has a range of 25 km to 30 km and an effective ceiling of 18 km, can simultaneously engage several targets with Rajendra radar developed by Electronics and Radar Development Establishment (LRDE), a DRDO laboratory.
“It was a user specific trial, which formed part of the country's routine air defence exercises. During the trial, the missile sought to intercept a floating object suspended from a pilot less target aircraft, flown from launching complex-II of the ITR prior to the firing of the missile. The missile successfully hit the target," said a defence official.
The defence forces conducted the trial with logistic support provided by the DRDO to revalidate the technology and operational efficacy of the anti-aircraft missile. The entire flight of Akash was captured by electro-optical tracking systems. Four more tests will be conducted within June 4. The missile is crucial to India's air defence programme as it will be used to counter ballistic and cruise missiles, enemy aircrafts and air-to-surface missiles.
It can handle multiple targets with the help of a digitally coded command and guidance system. It is fuelled by solid propellants. The 5.8-metre-long sleek missile has a launch weight of 720 kg and can carry a warhead of 50 kg.
The Akash missile system which is similar to the American Patriot air-to-surface missile system can track 64 targets simultaneously and the inbuilt Rajendra radar can provide command to the launcher to fire 12 missiles at a time. The DRDO claims that the Akash is the only system of its kind available globally.