Akash SAM ... tears the air at 2.5Mach indigenously
developed supersonic surface-to-air Akash Missile has been inducted in Indian
Air Force. The Akash missile was inducted through Union Defence Minister
Manohar Parrikar at a function held at Maharajpur Airbase in Gwalior following
he handed over the symbolic key of Akash defence system to Air chief Marshal
Arup Raha. It should be noted that Akash missile already has been included in
Indian Army. Facts about Akash Missile Indigenously developed by the DRDO and
Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) as part of Integrated Guided Missile Development
Programme (IGMDP) of 1980’s. Manufactured using 92 per cent of native machinery
and can be transported wherever by means of road, water or air transport. It is
a potent supersonic mobile multi-target point, multi-directional missile,
capable to engage multiple air targets simultaneously using sophisticated
multi-function phased array radars. Capabile to neutralise aerial targets like
cruise missiles, fighter jets and air-to-surface missiles with strike range of
25km. It can destroy aerial target upto 30 km away at altitudes upto 18,000 m.
It has supersonic speed i.e. it is three times faster than that of sound and
capable to carry conventional warhead of 60 kg. Initially, 8 squadrons of ADS
will be inducted in IAF as per the contract.
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