The DRDO tested Akash NG in the Pokhran Field Test Range, Jaisalmer. The missile intercepted a high speed, High Manoeuvring low RCS aerial target. The test was successful with textbook precision. DRDO, the premier R&D organization of the country, works on various areas of military technology to qualitatively address the needs of the Indian Military. Has delivered the most advanced surface to air missile once again.
Akash – New generation abbreviated as Akash-NG is a medium-range mobile surface-to-air missile defence system developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and produced by Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) and Bharat Electronics (BEL).
This missile is a successor to the Akash and Akash-1S series of missiles with improvements such as a Dual-pulse solid rocket motor, a canisterized launcher and an AESA Multifunction targeting radar to improve its probability of kill with a smaller ground operations and logistics footprint.
The development of the Akash-NG (New Generation) was approved in September 2016 with a funding of ₹470 crores (equivalent to ₹544 crores or US$76 million in 2019).
Akash-NG will have an improved reaction time and a higher level of protection against saturation attacks. The second stage will use a dual-pulse solid rocket motor which is lighter instead of air-breathing solid ramjet engine present in the earlier Akash and Akash-1S missiles to increase the overall range from current 40 km (25 mi) to greater than 80 km (50 mi) while also reducing the weight of the platform and the footprint of the launch platform, an active electronically scanned array Multi-Function Radar (MFR) and optical proximity fuze will improve the effectiveness of the missile against targets with low radar cross-section.
The missile uses a Ku-band Active radar seeker which was revealed to the public during Aero India 2021.
DRDO successfully conducted the first test of the missile on 25 January 2021 from Launching Complex – III at the Integrated Test Range near Chandipur, Odisha at about 2.30 pm against an electronic target.
Today as per sources the missile has been tested against a high speed, High Manoeuvring low RCS aerial target. The test was successful with textbook precision.
