DRDO conducts flight test of new generation AKASH missile

New Delhi, Jan 12 (IANS) Ministry of Defence (MoD) on Friday said that DRDO has successfully conducted a flight-test of the New Generation AKASH (AKASH-NG) missile.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said that during the flight test, the target was successfully intercepted by the weapon system and destroyed.

“The flight test was conducted at 1030 hrs on January 12, 2024. The flight test of the AKASH-NG missile against a high-speed unmanned aerial target at very low altitude. It has validated the functioning of the complete weapon system consisting of the missile with indigenously developed Radio Frequency Seeker, Launcher, Multi-Function Radar and Command, Control and Communication system,” the ministry said.

It said that the flight test was conducted from the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur off the coast of Odisha.

“The system performance was also validated through the data captured by a number of Radars, Telemetry and Electro Optical Tracking System deployed by ITR, Chandipur,” the ministry said.

The ministry said that the flight-test was witnessed by senior officials from DRDO, Indian Air Force (IAF), Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL).

It said that 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.