India tests surface-to-air missile from Chandipur

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Akash

Balasore, December 13 (odisha.in) India on Thursday test-fired an advanced version of surface-to-air missile "Akash" from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur-on-sea, about15 km from Balasore.

The nuclear capable multi-target missile was blasted off at about 11.55 a.m.

Defence official sources said, aiming a moving target attached to the Pilot less Target Aircraft (PTA), which was flown from the same range at about 11.36 a.m., the missile was fired from a mobile launcher.

Indigenously developed Akash's upgraded version has a strike range of 25 km with an effective ceiling of 18 km. It has been developed as part of India's Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme
(IGMDP).

The 5.6-metre-long sleek missile has a launch weight of 700 kg and can carry a warhead of 50 kg. The missile is crucial to India's air defence programme as it will be used to counter ballistic missiles and
enemy aircraft.

Thursday's test was conducted to prove the missile's consistency during the entire flight.

Compared to the US-made Patriot, the Akash has better features. It is totally mobile and can be launched from a battle tank.

The missile had thrust during its entire flight and the propulsion worked till it hit the target, the sources added.

Scientists have planned to carry out at least six rounds test of the nuclear capable Akash missile from the same test range within a week to gauge its flight consistency and fine tune the sophisticated
missile.

Odisha.in

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