About Akash Missile System:
- It is a Short Range Surface to Air Missile (SAM) system to protect vulnerable areas and vulnerable points from air attacks.
- It was indigenously designed and developed by India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and is produced by Hyderabad-based Bharat Dynamics Ltd. (BDL).
- Features:
- It features a solid-fuel, ramjet propulsion system, capable of reaching speeds of Mach 2.5 to 3.5 (up to 4,200 km/h).
- It has an operational range of 4.5 to 25 km and can engage targets at altitudes of up to 18 km.
- The system uses command guidance, a digital autopilot, and includes self-destruct mechanisms to minimize collateral damage in case of target miss.
- Each missile is capable of carrying a 60 kg warhead, which can be conventional or nuclear.
- The system boasts a kill probability of 88% with a single missile and up to 99% when fired in a salvo of two.
- The most important element of the Akash SAM system battery is its high-power, multi-function Rajendra phased array radar.
- The 3D passive electronically scanned array Rajendra radar (PESA) can electronically scan and guide the missile towards targets. It provides information on the range, azimuth, and height of a flying target.
- The AKASH Weapon System can simultaneously engage Multiple Targets in Group Mode or Autonomous Mode.
- It has built-in Electronic Counter-Counter Measures (ECCM) features.
- It is fully automatic, with a quick response time from target detection to kill.
- The entire weapon system has been configured on mobile platforms.
- It has an open-system architecture that ensures adaptability to existing and futuristic air defence environments.
