The Indian Army has inducted the surface to air missile Akash into its arsenal to protect India from any kind of possible aerial threats. The missile Akash is a short range defence system that is capable of operating up to a maximum range of 25 kilometres and upto an altitude of 20 kilometers.
The missile system is also capable of detecting aerial threats from enemy’s fighter planes, helicopters, drones and unmanned aerial vehicles. It can evaluate and track danger and will launch missiles based on the information obtained by the radar system. Akash is a multi target, multi directional, all weather air-defence system.
The missile system developed by the DRDO will give army the much-needed supersonic firepower to take on enemy fighters, helicopters, drones and sub-sonic cruise missiles. The additional plus point of this missile system is that it can provide comprehensive short range missile cover to the vulnerable assets in the field.
Chief of Indian Army, General Dalbir Singh Suhag stressed that modernization of the army is a key agenda in his mind, and air defence weapons system is one of the seven critical areas identified as part of modernisation.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA Government is planning to upgrade its armed forces using indigenously-produced weapons and machinery. India has ordered 36 ‘ready-to-fly’ French-made Rafale fighter jets to modernize country’s ageing warplane fleet.
GK Questions
- What is the range of AGNI V Missile? 5000 to 6000 km
- The lead ship of nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines of India is ______? INS Arihant
- Kargil Vijay Diwas is celebrated on 26 July every year in honour of the Kargil War’s Heroes. What is the name of the operation associated with this Day? Operation Vijay
