India test fires surface-to-air missile Akash

India test fires surface-to-air missile
Thu May 29,11:02 PM ET


BHUBANESWAR, India (AFP) - India has test-fired its medium range surface-to-air missile Akash (Sky) from a remote testing range off its eastern coast, officials said.

The missile was test-fired Thursday from a mobile launcher at about 5:00 pm (1130 GMT) from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur, 200 kilometres (124 miles) from Bhubaneswar, capital of the eastern Orissa state.

The indigenously built multi-target missile has a range of 25 kilometres (15.5 miles) and is one of the five missiles currently under different stages of development by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

Akash can deliver 50 kilogrammes (110 pounds) of explosives and can strike several targets simultaneously.

It uses integrated two-stage propulsion technology.

Akash, a part of India's guided missile development programme, has gone through a number of trials.

The first test-launch of the missile was conducted on July 5, 2000.