India conducts successful trials of Akash surface to air missile system

India on Monday successfully flight tested Akash, the indigenously designed developed and produced Surface to Air missile for the Indian Army, at the Integrated Test Range here.

These were part of a series of trials being conducted in various engagement modes from the first of Production Model system being produced to equip two regiments of Indian Army.

Both flights destroying a target in receding ting mode, as well as the one conducted on February 21, destroying an approaching target, fully met the mission objectives and few more trials are planned in different engagement modes.

Congratulating the production agencies, Indian Army and DRDO team, Avinash Chander, Scientific Advisor to Defence Ministry and Secretary Department of Defence R and D said, "Development and production of Akash weapon system with the active participation of DRDO labs, Public Sector Units (PSUs), Ordnance Factories, National R and D Laboratories, academic Institutions and about 200 private industries is yet another symbol of India's strength in making indigenous weapon systems."

"The successful trials show the continuing excellence of Indian weapon systems," he added.

'Akash' is India's first indigenously designed, developed and produced air defence system Surface to Air missile capable of engaging aerial threats upto a distance of approximately 25 kms.

The multi target, multi directional, all weather air-defence system consisting of surveillance and tracking radars, control centres and ground support systems mounted on high mobility vehicles for the "Army" version of Akash is designed to enable integration with other air defence command and control networks through secured communication links.

Developed by DRDO, the Army version of Akash is being produced by Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) as the nodal production agency with the involvement of Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and a large number of other industries.

The total production value of Akash air defence systems cleared for induction by Indian Army and Indian Air force is more than ' 23,000 crore.

G. Chandramouli, Project Director Akash, supervised the overall trial operations in the presence of senior army officials and officials from BDL and BEL who are attending the trials. M.V.K.V. Prasad, Director of ITR supervised the trials activities.