- India has strongly demonstrated the firepower of its Akash surface-to-air (SAM) weapon system, where a single firing unit simultaneously engaged and destroyed four unmanned targets during the recent Exercise Astrashakti 2023.
About Akash Weapon System
- The AWS is a Short Range Surface to Air Missile (SRSAM) Air Defence System, indigenously designed and developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation.
- The Akash weapon system is also one of the indigenous defence systems that have bagged orders from international customers.
- The Akash firing unit was deployed with Firing Level Radar (FLR), Firing Control Centre (FCC), and two Akash Air Force Launcher (AAFL) launchers having five armed missiles.
About Akash Missile
- Akash Missile was part of the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP)
- Akash Missile is a mobile surface-to-air missile developed by the Defence Research and Development Organization in India.
- This powerful medium-range missile can target an aircraft up to 30 km and can conveniently neutralize other missiles and fighter jets.
- Akash Missile is in operation with the Indian Air Force and the Indian Army.
- This missile was launched into service in the year 2009 in India. Since then, it has enabled the Indian Air Force and Army to destroy enemy aircraft with high explosives in the air.
- The Akash Prime is a medium-range mobile surface-to-air missile (SAM) system developed by the DRDO and produced by Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL).