India flight tests new generation surface-to-air Akash missile
(Sourced from PTI)
India on Friday successfully flight tested the New Generation Akash (Akash-NG) missile from the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur which is located off the Odisha coast, the DRDO sources said. The test was carried out by the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) against a high-speed unmanned aerial target which was successfully intercepted by the missile.
The surface-to-air missile was also successfully flight-tested two days ago from the same launch ground of ITR at Chandipur near Balasore, sources said. The flight trial was conducted from launch pad 3 of the ITR with all weapon system elements such as Multifunction Radar, Command, Control and Communication System and launcher participating in the deployment configuration, they said.
"The missile, equipped with a radio frequency seeker, successfully intercepted a high-speed unmanned aerial target," a DRDO spokesperson said. On July 21, the missile was flight-tested without the seeker, meeting all the mission requirements.
Defense Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated DRDO, the Indian Air Force, and the Industry on the second successful flight test of Akash-NG in a span of three days. The missile system has been developed by Defense Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), Hyderabad, in collaboration with other DRDO laboratories. The test was carried out amid inclement weather conditions proving the all-weather capability of the weapon system.
In order to capture flight data, ITR deployed a number of Range stations like Electro-Optical Tracking System, Radar, and Telemetry. The flawless performance of the entire weapon system has been confirmed by complete flight data captured by these systems. During the test, the missile demonstrated the high maneuverability required for neutralizing fast and agile aerial threats, sources sai-d.
The missile launch was witnessed by the representatives of the Indian Air Force (IAF). Once deployed, the Akash-NG weapon system will prove to be a force multiplier for the air defense capability of the Indian Air Force. The production agencies Bharat Electronics Limited, as well as the Bharat Dynamics Limited, also participated in the trials.
Secretary, Department of Defense Research and Development and DRDO Chairman, Dr. G Satheesh Reddy, also congratulated the teams for the successful trial of Akash NG which is capable of intercepting high speed and agile aerial threats.
