AKASH MISSILE

AKASH MISSILE

Subject: Defence

Context: The Union Cabinet approved export of the Akash surface-to-air missile to “friendly countries” and constituted a committee, headed by the Defence Minister, for faster approval of export of defence platforms.

Concept:

• Akash is an important missile of the country with over 96 per cent indigenisation.
• This is surface to air anti-aircraft missile with a strike range of 25 km and capability to carry warhead of 60 kilogram.
• It can reach an altitude of 18 km and can be fired from both tracked and wheeled platforms.
• The missile is guided by a phased array fire control radar called ‘Rajendra’ which is termed as Battery Level Radar (BLR) with a tracking range of about 60 km.
• The Akash missile having a multi target, multi directional, all weather air-defence system consisting of surveillance and tracking radars, could take off at a speed of around 2.5 Mach and reach a high altitude of 18 kms and as low as 30 meters.

Expert Committee for faster approval

• The export version of Akash, an official statement said, will be different from the system currently deployed with the Indian armed forces.
• Besides Akash, there is interest in other major platforms like the coastal surveillance system, radars and air platforms.
• To provide faster approvals for export of such platforms, a Committee comprising RakshaMantri, External Affairs Minister and National Security Advisor has been created.
• This committee, the statement said, would authorise subsequent export of major indigenous platforms to various countries.
• The committee would also explore available options including the Government-to-Government route.