India successfully test-fired local-made Akash Surface-to-Air defense missile system 1408141

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Defence & Security News - India
 
 
Thursday, August 14, 2014 09:06 AM
 
India successfully test-fired local-made Akash Surface-to-Air defense missile system.
For the second day, India on Wednesday, August 14, 2014, successfully conducted trial of its indigenously developed surface-to-air 'Akash' missile, which has a strike range of 25 km, from a test range in Odisha as part of a user trial by the Air Force.
     
For the second day, India on Wednesday, August 14, 2014, successfully conducted trial of its indigenously developed surface-to-air 'Akash' missile, which has a strike range of 25 km, from a test range in Odisha as part of a user trial by the Air Force.
Indian-made Akash surface-to-air defense missile system during firing test.
     
"The sophisticated Akash missile was test-fired from launch complex-3 of the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur at about 1.20 PM," defence sources here said.

It was a repeat test of yesterday's trial, he said. The trial of Akash conducted yesterday was also successful. 'Akash' is a medium range surface-to-air anti-aircraft defence system developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) as part of the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme.

Akash is a medium-range mobile surface-to-air missile defense system developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Ordnance Factories Board and Bharat Electronics (BEL) in India. The missile system can target aircraft up to 30 km away, at altitudes up to 18,000 m.

The Akash missile can be launched from static or mobile platforms, such as battle tanks, providing flexible deployment.

The Akash missile has a launch weight of 720kg and measures 5.8m in length, 350mm diameter and 1,105mm wingspan. The missile can fly at a speed of up to Mach 2.5 and has a height ceiling of 18km.

While the Indian Air Force version has already been inducted, the Army version is in the final stage of induction into the armed forces, the sources said.