India on Friday successfully test-fired for the second time its New Generation Akash Missile (Akash-NG), a surface-to-air missile defence system. The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) conducted the flight-test from the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur off the Odisha coast at 11:45 am, a defence ministry release said.
This was the second test firing of the missile within two days after the first was conducted on July 21.
The ministry said the test was carried out against a high-speed unmanned aerial target which was successfully intercepted by the missile. It said the Akash NG missile is capable of intercepting high speed and agile aerial threats.
“The flight test has validated the functioning of complete weapon system consisting of the missile with indigenously developed RF seeker, launcher, multi-function radar and command, control and communication system. The test was carried out amidst inclement weather conditions proving the all-weather capability of the weapon system,” the release said.
The system performance was validated through the data captured by a number of radar, telemetry and electro optical tracking systems deployed by ITR, Chandipur, it added.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has congratulated DRDO and the Indian Air Force on the successful second test-firing of the missile within three days. He said the development of this missile system will prove to be a force multiplier for air defence capabilities of the Air Force.
