Akash Surface-to-air Missile

[Kunal Biswas]

Tatra based launcher ..

 

[nehamathur.fpj]

Akash missile test fired successfully

Balasore (Odisha): India today successfully test-fired its indigenously developed surface-to-air 'Akash' missile from a test range in Odisha as part of user trial by the Air Force.

"The sophisticated Akash missile was test-fired from launch complex-3 of the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur at about 3.18 pm," defence sources said.

Read full article here: freepressjournal.in/akash-missile-test-fired-successfully

 

[kurup]

Akash missile test fired successfully

Balasore (Odisha): India today successfully test-fired its indigenously developed surface-to-air 'Akash' missile from a test range in Odisha as part of user trial by the Air Force.

"The sophisticated Akash missile was test-fired from launch complex-3 of the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur at about 3.18 pm," defence sources said.

Read full article here: freepressjournal.in/akash-missile-test-fired-successfully

News is from Nov 18 , 2014 .

 

[cobra commando]

The Indian Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) has decided to increase the range of the Aakash Surface to air missile (SAM), one of its successful programs, and provide it with a 'seeker' in its warhead to achieve better targeting efficiency. Reliable sources in the DRDO are not willing to divulge too many details about these two important elements – the range and the seeker – just yet. The Indian army and air force has ordered an unspecified number of missiles at a combined cost of Rs 23,000 crores ($3.8 billion). And experts believe that as the traditional air defense systems like Russian systems like Pechoras legacy systems are phased out, the demand for Aakash systems will increase. Till now the Aakash SAM system could reach ranges of the nature of 25 kilometers and target aircrafts. It had a radio frequency proximity fuse. The increased range will means an ability to target faster moving aircraft. The 700-kg Akash missile can carry a 60-kg warhead at speeds of up to Mach 2.5. It can be launched from a fixed as well as a mobile platform.
Indian Akash Missile To See Range Increase

 

[ladder]

The Indian Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) has decided to increase the range of the Aakash Surface to air missile (SAM), one of its successful programs, and provide it with a 'seeker' in its warhead to achieve better targeting efficiency. Reliable sources in the DRDO are not willing to divulge too many details about these two important elements – the range and the seeker – just yet. The Indian army and air force has ordered an unspecified number of missiles at a combined cost of Rs 23,000 crores ($3.8 billion). And experts believe that as the traditional air defense systems like Russian systems like Pechoras legacy systems are phased out, the demand for Aakash systems will increase. Till now the Aakash SAM system could reach ranges of the nature of 25 kilometers and target aircrafts. It had a radio frequency proximity fuse. The increased range will means an ability to target faster moving aircraft. The 700-kg Akash missile can carry a 60-kg warhead at speeds of up to Mach 2.5. It can be launched from a fixed as well as a mobile platform.
Indian Akash Missile To See Range Increase

1. Range should be increased to around 40-45 km.

2. Should be canisterized.

 

[cobra commando]

Akash (Army Version) passes through the Rajpath during the full dress rehearsal for the Republic Day Parade-2015, in New Delhi on January 23, 2015.

 

[cobra commando]

India's DRDO To Build Mark II Akash SAM With Longer Range Seeker

Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) sources say that they have moved a proposal to the government on building Mark II of the Akash missiles that will be upgraded by a longer range and sophisticated seeker. Currently, the indigenously built Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) has a radio frequency proximity fuse which gets triggered as it is pointedly targeted at a flying object at a range of about 25 kms. But the new plan includes increasing the range from that level to a point below the level of the recent Indo-Israeli Long Range SAM (LR-SAM). While the DRDO sources were chary about discussing the details of the new proposed Aakash Mark II as "the government's clearance is awaited," but they say that the seeker will be based on infra-red imaging (IIR) or microwave based. This will not only increase the SAMs lethality but it will also help the troops manning these batteries to 'fire and forget' kind of a mode. The IIR seeker will pick up the heat signature of the aerial threat and target it while the microwave based one will lock on the offending object through the radar signatures of the object.
India's DRDO To Build Mark II Akash SAM With Longer Range Seeker

 

[Lions Of Punjab]

SOURCE: TNN

Having seen it's utility first hand, the Indian Air Force (IAF) is all geared up to raise six new squadrons of the Akash Air Defence System which is indigenously developed by the DRDO, Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and private firms long before the nation launched on the Make-In-India campaign.

Confirming this, top IAF officials said IAF already has two operational squadrons of the all-weather, point/area missile system. "It protects vulnerable points and vulnerable areas with a slant range of 25-30km at altitudes up to 20km. It can destroy high-speed targets like fighter aircraft and UAVs," an official said.

Barring the final action of firing the missile or pressing the 'destroy' key, all major functions are done electronically by the computer running on the weapon system software.

While paperwork for immediate procurement of seven squadrons (14 units) is progressing at the highest level, the IAF is likely to place additional orders for 49 firing units in a phased manner. The order for the existing two squadrons placed in 2008 is valued at about Rs 1,200 crore.

"An order for six more squadrons worth around Rs 3,500 crore was placed in the late 2010 and the manufacturing of the same is complete and will be delivered this year," a source in BEL said.

The Akash missile system was conceived as a project and completed way before the make-in-India campaign was launched.

BEL is the lead vendor and integrator for the IAF version. It has manufactured the surveillance radar, tracking radar, flight control centre, support systems and the integrated software. The missiles themselves are supplied by Bharat Dynamics Limited, Hyderabad, another government agency, while the launchers come from Tata Power/L&T. The squadron control centre is manufactured by the Electronics Corporation of India Limited.
Integration of all equipment and software at the squadron level, installation and commissioning of the missile system are being done by BEL. The weapon system software developed jointly by the Electronics & Radar Development Establishment (LRDE) and BEL plays a crucial role in achieving the target destruction.

 

[cobra commando]

BEL to soon start production of Akash Missile system for Army | Business Standard News

 

[cobra commando]

Women's Day Special: Akash Missile System propelled by BEL's women power - Oneindia

 

[cobra commando]

Impressed IAF in talks for more Akash Squadrons

March 7, 2015: Highly impressed with the indigenous missile system. the Indian Air Force is in discussions to acquire more squadrons of the Akash SAM system. It is not clear at what stage discussions are or what the number of additional squadrons under discussion are, though the very fact that the IAF has begun discussions before deliveries of its eight squadrons are complete is a positive indicator of customer confidence in the weapon system. Following operational firing tests in November last year, the IAF's faith in the system has topped out, spurring confidence in the DRDO and manufacturing agencies BDL & BEL to pitch larger numbers. The DRDO is also working on an extended range Akash Mk.2 system that the IAF has already expressed interest in. While the Akash Mk.1 sports a 25-km range, the Mk.2 is likely to have a range of 35-40 km. The total production orders placed by IAF and Indian Army for the Akash missile system roughly amounts to Rs 23,000 crore. Missile systems worth nearly Rs 5,000 crore have already been delivered to the services. The system is under production at Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), Bangalore for 8 squadrons for the IAF. 2 regiments of the Army version are under production at Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL), Hyderabad. The missiles and missile related equipment are produced by BDL. Radars and radar related equipments (for both IAF and Army) are produced by BEL. Impressed IAF in talks for more Akash Squadrons - SP’s Exculsive

 

[Pulkit]

@Kunal Biswas
Just read an article Finally, Army to get Akash missiles from next month | idrw.org and was happy to see IA and IAF making best use of Akash Missile.
In the article it has been specifically mentioned IN doesnot think it can use Akash . On googling I was not able to find any more info in regard to this .
Any insights?

 

[Lions Of Punjab]

FINALLY, ARMY TO GET AKASH MISSILES FROM NEXT MONTH

NEW DELHI: The Army will finally get some desperately-needed supersonic firepower to take on enemy fighters, helicopters, drones and sub-sonic cruise missiles after years of grappling with obsolete air defence weapons. What makes it even more significant is that the new weapon system is 96% indigenous.

The 1.13-million strong force will begin getting the Akash "area defence" missile systems, which have an interception range of over 25 km in all weather conditions, from next month. Though quite late in coming, the Akash systems pack a formidable punch by being capable of tackling multiple aerial threats attacking from several directions simultaneously.

Defence ministry sources said Manohar Parrikar is slated to symbolically hand over the first Akash - the surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) fired from mobile launchers with powerful multi-function radars to evaluate and track threats -- to the Army in early-April.

The Army has initially ordered two Akash regiments, with six firing batteries and hundreds of missiles each, for around Rs 14,180 crore. "The first full regiment should be ready by June-July, with the second one following by end-2016," said a source.

As first reported by TOI, IAF has already begun to deploy six Akash missile squadrons in the north-east to counter China's build-up of military infrastructure all along the 4,057-km Line of Actual Control (LAC), which includes eight fully-operational airbases in Tibet.



IAF has ordered eight Akash squadrons for Rs 6,200 crore, with the first two coming up at the Mirage-2000 base in Gwalior and Sukhoi-30MKI base in Pune. This led to the junking of the long-pending plan to develop the 'Maitri' short-range SAMs with France at a cost of around Rs 30,000 crore.

The Navy, however, does not find the Akash suitable for its warships. It has asked the Parrikar-led defence acquisitions council to empower DRDO to re-engage with French armament major MBDA for joint development of the SAM systems. "Navy's initial requirement is for nine such systems, with 40 missiles each," said a source.

The Akash was one of the five core missile systems of the integrated guided missile development programme launched by DRDO in 1984. After long delays due to technical problems, the indigenous SAM - produced by defence PSUs Bharat Electronics and Bharat Dynamics -- is finally being inducted into the armed forces.

"The fully-automated Akash system is designed to defend the country's vital and vulnerable areas against medium-range air targets penetrating from low, medium and high altitudes. Its kill probability is over 88% with one missile. With two missiles in ripple firing, its 98%," said a DRDO scientist.

Finally, Army to get Akash missiles from next month - The Times of India

 

[Kunal Biswas]

Navy is already committed to Barak 8 system from a long time and it already invested on it, It is also planned to produce the system in country ..

Akash is design mainly for ground operation, Never was intended for Naval use, Unless it is extremely modified to fit the requirement which will take time and resources ..

Hence they are not committed towards Akash as of now ..

 

[power_monger]

Navy is already committed to Barak 8 system from a long time and it already invested on it, It is also planned to produce the system in country ..

Akash is design mainly for ground operation, Never was intended for Naval use, Unless it is extremely modified to fit the requirement which will take time and resources ..

Hence they are not committed towards Akash as of now ..

Akash was never designed for navy.Akash has a problem that missile cannot be fired on move. And being heavy 720 kgs,it is almost ruled out for navy usage.

 

[Kunal Biswas]

Why it cannot be fired at move ?

Akash was never designed for navy.Akash has a problem that missile cannot be fired on move. And being heavy 720 kgs,it is almost ruled out for navy usage.

 

[power_monger]

Why it cannot be fired at move ?

I dont know why,but as per what i read in news articles,vehicles need to be in stationary position at the time of firing missiles.could be accuracy or control issues. If i am wrong,do correct me.

 

[Kunal Biswas]

Akash won`t be inducted if it cannot fire on move, Akash will be in AD and AD has its own mechanized unit to support Armour and other mechanized units ..

Akash radars could be in stationary position when firing but not launchers, Same for other Long and Medium SAMs ..

I dont know why,but as per what i read in news articles,vehicles need to be in stationary position at the time of firing missiles.could be accuracy or control issues. If i am wrong,do correct me.

 

[DivineHeretic]

Why it cannot be fired at move ?

It is true that Akash SAM cannot be fired on thew move, but that would most likely be a limitation of the launch vehicle, not of the missile itself. Let's have a look at the launch vehicle:

The stabilizers fixated to the ground can be clearly seen for the IAF version. This means that the vehicle needs extra lateral stability when firing the missile, or the vehicle risks toppling over. The force with which the missile launches off the vehicle acts on the vehicle too, which could overturn the vehicle if those stabilizers are not affixed to the ground. That is the main reason why the SAM cannot be launched form a mobile vehicle.

An identical setup is seen in the Spyder SAM-TATA LV as well.

So it's not like its a problem afflicting the Akash SAM only. People tend to make a mountain of a molehill.

 

[ladder]

It is true that Akash SAM cannot be fired on thew move, but that would most likely be a limitation of the launch vehicle, not of the missile itself. Let's have a look at the launch vehicle:


The stabilizers fixated to the ground can be clearly seen for the IAF version. This means that the vehicle needs extra lateral stability when firing the missile, or the vehicle risks toppling over. The force with which the missile launches off the vehicle acts on the vehicle too, which could overturn the vehicle if those stabilizers are not affixed to the ground. That is the main reason why the SAM cannot be launched form a mobile vehicle.

An identical setup is seen in the Spyder SAM-TATA LV as well.


So it's not like its a problem afflicting the Akash SAM only. People tend to make a mountain of a molehill.

In the IAF version the platform can be detached from trailers so the stabilizers are so designed.

Source,
http://www.thehindu.com/multimedia/dynamic/01864/27THAKASH_AIR_MISS_1864472f.jpg

For Army version, first two regiments will be tatra mounted.

Source

http://media.newindianexpress.com/A...2532938.ece/alternates/w620/Akash_Missile.jpg


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So, we can't conclude whether Akash can fire on the move just by looking at the launch platform, we have to look at definitive literature.