India successfully flight-tests New Generation Akash Missile off Odisha coast

Balasore: India on Wednesday successfully flight-tested the New Generation Akash Missile (Akash-NG) off the Odisha coast here, official sources said.

The trial was conducted around 12.45 pm from a land-based platform with all weapon system elements such as multifunction radar, command, control $@$# communication system and launcher participating in deployment configuration, they said.

The missile system has been developed by the Defence Research $@$# Development Laboratory (DRDL), Hyderabad in collaboration with other DRDO laboratories.

The surface-to-air missile was launched from the Integrated Test Range (ITR).

During the test, the missile demonstrated high manoeuvrability required for neutralising fast and agile aerial threats, the sources said.

The flawless performance of the entire weapon system has been confirmed by complete flight data, they said.

Once deployed, the Akash-NG weapon system will prove to be a force multiplier for the IAF.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated the DRDO, Indian Air Force and production agencies for the successful test.

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said in a tweet: "Congratulate @DRDO_India on the successful flight testing of the New Generation Akash Missile (Akash-NG) from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) off the coast of #Odisha".