Akash surface-to-air missile test fired

Akash surface-to-air missile was test fired by the Indian Air Force (IAF) from Integrated Test Range at Chandipur near Balasore, Odisha on 17 November 2014.  It was test fired as part of user trial by the Air Force.

The missile flew at a supersonic speed over a distance of 14 km and destroyed a target called Para flare at a low altitude of 1.2 km. The Para-flare was dropped by a MiG-27 aircraft of the IAF.

Akash missile is India’s first indigenously designed and developed missile. The missile has been developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) as part of the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme.

The missile is a medium range surface-to-air anti-aircraft defence system with a strike range of 25 km. It can carry a warhead of 60kg and it is packed with a battery that can track and attack several targets simultaneously.