Akash Missile
- Akash is a surface to air missile system.
- It would be the first-ever weapon platform to be exported by our
- India has been building fast patrol boats, helicopters and ammunition and radars for global customers.
- The range of the missile is from 8 to 2.5 Mach.
- It can be launched through tanks which are stable or even moving surfaces like warships and trucks.
- The missile has already been inducted in the Indian Air Force in 2014 and the Indian Army in 2015.
- It has a range of 25 km which aids in keeping the helicopters, fighters and drones from attacking critical installations.
- Almost 96% of the missile manufacturing process is done
- The missile is capable of engaging in multiple targets in both group mode and autonomous mode in real-time.
- There is a built-in Electronic Counter-Counter Measures (ECCM)
- The system is configured on various mobile platforms.
- The missile is solely designed by DRDO and has been produced by defence PSU Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL).
Special features
- This nuclear-capable missile, Akash can fly at a speed of up to Mach 5 that is almost 860 meter per second and also at a maximum height of 18 km.
- The missile is capable of targeting aerial targets like fighter jets, drones, cruise missiles, air-to-surface missiles, ballistic missiles from almost a distance of 30 km.
History
- The first test flight of Akash happened in 1990, with further development flight tests conducted upto March 1997.
- Two Akash missiles were tested to intercept simultaneous targets in engagement mode in 2005.
- The Akash Mk-II came up which is of a longer-range, is faster and is more accurately developed The missile has an intercept range of 40 km with the missile’s guidance system being more accurate now along with the fire control system.
- The development of the Akash-NG or Next Generation was approved in September 2016 with a funding of 470 crores.
- Akash missile was developed under the integrated guided missile development programme/ IGMDP. which involved the development of the Nag, Agni and Trishul missiles, as well as the Prithvi ballistic missile.