AKASH NEW GENERATION MISSILE

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Context

• India conducted a successful flight test of the new generation AKASH missile from the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur.

Details

• The Akash missile, developed by the Defense Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and produced by Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL), is a medium-range mobile surface-to-air missile (SAM) system.
• With capabilities to target a variety of aerial threats, it plays a crucial role in India's integrated air defense network.
• Surveillance Components: Developed by Bharat Electronics (BEL), Tata Power Strategic Engineering Division, and Larsen & Toubro.

Operational Capabilities

• Target Range: The Akash missile system can target aircraft up to 45 km away.
• Versatility: Capable of neutralizing fighter jets, cruise missiles, air-to-surface missiles, and ballistic missiles.
• Service: Currently in operational service with the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force.

System Components and Configuration

• Battery Composition: Each battery consists of a Rajendra 3D passive electronically scanned array radar and four launchers with three missiles each.
• Tracking and Engagement: Rajendra radar can track up to 64 targets and engage up to 12 simultaneously. The missile has a 60 kg high-explosive, pre-fragmented warhead.
• Mobility: Fully mobile, protecting a moving convoy of vehicles and deployable by rail, road, or air.

Deployment Configurations

• Autonomous and Group Modes: The Akash system can be deployed autonomously or in group mode to defend vulnerable areas based on threat profiles and engagement scenarios.
• Coverage Patterns: Various geometric formations, including box, linear array, and trapezoidal, offering defense coverage for different area sizes.

Missile Characteristics

• Range: Surface-to-air missile with a 25 km intercept range.
• Speed: Flies at supersonic speed, reaching around Mach 2.5.
• Altitude: Capable of reaching an altitude of 20 km.
• Platforms: Can be fired from both tracked and wheeled platforms.

Guidance and Propulsion

• Guidance System: Equipped with an onboard guidance system using command guidance throughout its flight.
• Propulsion: Integrated Ramjet Rocket Engine for sustained speeds without deceleration.

Radar Systems

• Fire Control Radar: Guided by the Rajendra phased array radar with a tracking range of about 60 km.
• Long-Range Target Acquisition: 3D Central Acquisition Radar (3D CAR) provides long-range surveillance, tracking up to 200 targets.

Variants and Upgrades

• Akash-1S: Upgraded version with an indigenous seeker, offering improved accuracy.
• Akash Prime: Features an improved active radio-frequency seeker and optimized for low temperature and high altitude operations.
• Akash-NG: New generation variant with improved reaction time and a higher level of protection against saturation attacks.

Export and International Interest

• Export Success: Exported to countries like Vietnam, and interest from the Philippines, Belarus, Malaysia, Thailand, UAE, and Armenia.
• Export Approval: Cabinet Committee on Security approved the export of Akash missile defense system to foreign countries.

Operational History

• Deployment: Used in Indian Air Force bases and along the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh.
• User Trials: Successfully completed user trials, demonstrating efficiency against various targets.
• Future Inductions: Indian Army scheduled to receive two Akash Prime regiments.

Conclusion

The successful flight test of the new generation Akash missile demonstrates its capabilities in intercepting high-speed aerial threats at very low altitudes. The validation of the complete weapon system marks a significant milestone, and the upcoming user trials will further assess its operational readiness and effectiveness. The development showcases India's continued progress in enhancing its indigenous defense capabilities.