India demonstrated the capability of the Akash missile system to engage four aerial targets simultaneously at a range of 25 kilometres.
With this India became the first country to have such a capability using a single firing unit.
It is learnt that the capability of the home-grown missile system was displayed at the ‘Astrashakti’ military exercise on December 12.
The exercise was held by the Indian Air Force.
During the exercise, four targets came from the same direction in a close formation and split to attack defence assets from multiple directions simultaneously.
Further, to be noted that The Akash firing Unit was deployed with Firing Level Radar (FLR), a Firing Control Center (FCC), two Akash Air Force Launcher (AAFL) launchers having five armed missiles.
The FLR was detected, and tracked and the air scenario with four targets was updated to a higher echelon (IACCS).
The targets were assigned to an Akash firing unit to neutralise the threat.
The Akash firing unit further assigned the launchers and FCC commander issued the firing commands when the system prompted the engagement as per its capability.
Two Akash missiles were launched from two launchers and the same launcher was assigned to the next two targets.
A total of four missiles were launched within a short span and FLR acquired and guided all four missiles towards the respective targets.
All four targets were successfully engaged at maximum range (around 30 km) simultaneously.
About Akash missile system
The Akash Missile System is the first indigenous state-of-the-art surface-to-air missile system, having served with the Armed Forces for nearly a decade.
Indigenously designed and developed by DRDO, the missile boasts a range of up to 25 km.
It is a short-range surface to air missile primarily used for protecting vulnerable areas and points from air attacks.
Besides, the missile system is among the key platforms that India is exporting to friendly foreign countries.
