BHUBANESWAR: India’s medium range multi target surface to air missile “Akash” was successfully test fired from the interim test range (ITR) at Chandipur on sea Tuesday, according to Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, director of the Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL).
Dr. Kalam told PTI here with the launching of the missile, “we have commenced the flight test programme for Akash, which consists of a series of nine flights over a two year period. “We hope to have four more flights of the system this year,” he said.
The Akash expected to go into development by 1993, was the first missile to be tested from the ITR since the launching of the intermediate range, “Agni” technology demonstrator on May 22 last year.
Dr. Kalam said that the first flight trial of “Akash” was intended to prove the booster system. This time, the high energy propulsion system was used in the missile but the next launch would have another propulsion system.
The Akash is the fourth Indian made missile after Prithvi, Trishul, and Agni to reach the flight test stage.
Dr. Kalam said that the surface to surface Prithvi and the multi role, quick reaction, short range, surface to air missile Trishul were already in production and would be inducted into the services by 1991-92.
Article extracted from this publication >> August 24, 1990
