ODISHA: The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) conducted a successful flight test of the New Generation AKASH (AKASH-NG) missile on Friday. The test was conducted at 10:30 AM from the Integrated Test Range, Chandipur, off the coast of Odisha, against a high-speed unmanned aerial target at very low altitude. According to the Ministry of Defence, during the flight test, the target was successfully intercepted by the weapon system and destroyed. “It has validated the functioning of the complete weapon system consisting of the missile with an indigenously developed radio frequency seeker, launcher, multi-function radar and command, control and communication system,” it said. The system’s performance was also validated through the data captured by a number of radars, telemetry and electro-optical tracking systems deployed by ITR, Chandipur. The flight test was witnessed by senior officials from DRDO, the Indian Air Force (IAF), Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL). The AKASH-NG system is a state-of-the-art missile system capable of intercepting high-speed, agile aerial threats. The successful flight test has paved the way for User trials. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has complimented the DRDO, IAF, PSUs and industry for the flight test. “The successful development of the system will further enhance the air defence capabilities of the country, he said. The Akash missile is a Defence Research and Development Organization-developed system and has been in service for over a decade now, with multiple advanced versions of the missile under development by the Akash Team. There are also countries in the Middle East that have shown interest in the capabilities of the Akash weapon system and its recent capability demonstrations in trials. The Akash Weapon System is indigenously designed and developed by the DRDO and produced by defence public sector units along with other industries. Akash has been deployed by the Indian Air Force and the Indian Army for the last decade. The current firing was done from the system, which was ordered in September 2019 as a repeat order from the IAF. The Akash weapon system is also one of the indigenous defence systems that have bagged orders from international customers. It is also being constantly upgraded by the DRDO scientists involved in it and they may get more orders from Southeast Asia and the Middle East.
