India on Thursday successfully test fired the indigenously-developed surface-to- air 'Akash' missile from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur. This test comes as a shot in the arm for India's air-defence.
Akash missile was launched from a mobile launcher off the Integrated Test Range (ITR) Chandipur, about 15 km from Balasore, Odisha at about 1108 hours. The user-specific trial was successful, a Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) official with the Akash missile project confirmed to PTI.
The first batch of Akash missiles were handed over to the IAF on March 3, 2012. The IAF accepted the Akash missile for induction after a nine-day trial from December 11 to 20, 2007 at Interim Test Range (ITR) Chandipur during which the missile met all trial objectives. Today's test is the first operation test of the missile system.
Akash is a medium range surface-to-air missile with a range of 25 Km with a 60 Kg warhead and is capable of destroying targets flying at heights ranging from 20 m to 18 Km.
Indian air force has ordered a total of 8 squadrons of Akash, each squadron will have two Flights equipped with four Akash launchers, and a total of 125 missiles.
The Indian Army has placed orders for two Akash regiments, each regiment contains three or four batteries with a total of 2000 missiles.
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