India to deploy Akash air defense missile systems in northeast of the country against Chinese threat

Posted On
a

Defence & Security News - India
 
 
Saturday, August 23, 2014 09:56 AM
 
India to deploy Akash air defense missile systems in northeast of the country against Chinese threats
India has now begun deploying six Akash surface-to-air missile (SAM) squadrons in the northeast of the country in case of threats by Chinese jets, helicopters and drones against any misadventure in the region. Indian Defence ministry sources on Thursday, August 21, 2014. Indian Air Force has started getting deliveries of the six Akash missile squadrons, which can "neutralize" multiple targets at 25-km interception range in all-weather conditions, earmarked for the eastern theatre.
     

Indian-made Akash Surface-to-Air defense missile system.
     
"Indian Air Force (IAF) has deployed the first two Akash squadrons at the Mirage-2000 base in Gwalior and Sukhoi base in Pune. The next six squadrons, as approved by the Cabinet Committee on Security, are to guard against any threat from the northern borders," said a source.

This long-delayed but finally successful induction of the Akash systems, developed by DRDO and manufactured by defence PSU Bharat Dynamics, has also led to scrapping of the protracted discussions to develop the 'Maitri' short-range SAMs with France at a cost of around Rs 30,000 crore.

The Akash deployment in the northeast is in tune with the overall plan to progressively achieve "meaningful and credible deterrence" against China along the 4,057-km Line of Actual Control (LAC).

Akash is an Indian-made developed medium-range mobile surface-to-air missile defense system, developed as part of Integrated Missile Development Programme of the 1980s. The missiles have been developed by Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL) along with 13 other DRDO labs and manufactured by defence PSU Bharat Dynamics Limited. Its launchers were developed by a DRDO lab and produced by Tata Power and L&T.

The Akash surface-to-air missile system has an interception range of 30 km and can target an aircraft up to 30 km and at altitudes up to 18,000 metres. It is capable of destroying both aircraft and warheads from ballistic missiles if it is equipped with a nuclear warhead. It can carry warhead of about 60 kg.