Akash missile test-fired, on target again

 

For a second time in a span of four days, Indian Army successfully test-fired the medium range, surface-to-air missile, Akash, from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur, Odisha on Monday.

Like in Friday’s trial, the missile hit the bull’s eye today too- it engaged and destroyed a receding flying target at a distance of 19 km. The target was a tow body and supported by pilotless aircraft Lakshya. “ The mission went off fantastically as planned”, a top Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) official told the Hindu.

The missile was test-fired as part of pre-induction trials by the Army.

Akash missile is an air defence weapon system and capable of engaging multiple targets. It can thrust all the way up to the target because of its ramjet propulsion. It can fly at supersonic speed reaching a maximum of 2.5 Mach and engage the enemy aircraft at a maximum range of 25 km.

The missile was developed under DRDO’s Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme using state-of-the-art technology. It could be launched to engage and destroy fighter aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, helicopters and other targets. Supported by phased array Rajendra radar, which can track 64 targets, Akash missiles are guided towards their targets.

The warhead of the missile gets triggered by radio proximity fuze, while the onboard digital autopilot helps in stability and manoeuvring capability. 

The Hindu