TNI Bureau: India successfully test-fired two Air Force version Akash missiles with a strike range of 25 km from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur, about 15 km from Balasore, off Odisha coast.
ITR Director MVKV Prasad said that the test-fire was successful meeting all the mission and objectives.
Two indigenously-developed surface-to-air ‘Akash’ missiles of the Air Force version can go up to a range of 25 km and they are capable of carrying warhead of 60 kgs. Both the missiles were test-fired from a mobile launcher at launch complex-III of the ITR at noon on Friday.
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Similar trials were conducted from the same test range on May 24, 26 and 28. Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) said that the sophisticated missiles were aimed at intercepting floating object supported by a pilotless target aircraft (drone) at a definite altitude over the sea.
Akash is an anti-aircraft defence system. It can simultaneously targets with ‘Rajendra’ radar developed by the Electronics and Radar Development Establishment (LRDE), a DRDO laboratory in Bangalore.
The missile was developed during 1990s under the country’s Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP) and after many trials, it was inducted into the armed forces.
The Air Force and Army versions of the Akash missile have been developed by the DRDO.