Watch| Army Successfully Tests Akash Prime Missile in Ladakh, Hits Two Targets at 15,000 Feet

India's indigenous Akash Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) system is back in the international limelight with the successful user trials of its upgraded version, Akash Prime, conducted at a height of 15,000 feet in Ladakh.

The trials, conducted under Operation Sindoor, have attracted considerable international attention, and several countries are now keen to know more about India's emerging capabilities in air defence technology.

With the Indian Army enhancing its air defence capabilities, user trials of the Akash Prime system constitute a significant milestone prior to induction at a formal level.

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), which is developing the state-of-the-art system, takes all weapons systems through stringent tests at different terrains before handing them over to domestic industry partners for manufacture.

In a recent test in Ladakh, where the representatives of DRDO, the Indian Army, and defence industry partners were present, Akash Prime effectively destroyed two high-speed aerial targets. The test exhibited the missile's excellent reliability even during adverse weather conditions of fluctuation and harsh mountainous terrain.

What distinguishes Akash Prime from its predecessor is its domestic active radio frequency (RF) seeker, which provides 360-degree capability to engage and improved targeting accuracy. Designed to perform well in high-altitude and sub-freezing conditions, the missile can engage and eliminate airborne threats up to a range of 30 kilometres.

The Akash Prime missile conducted its first flight trial on September 27, 2021, at the Integrated Test Range (ITR) in Chandipur, Odisha.

The conventional Akash missile system, already in service with the Indian Army and Indian Air Force, has a 25-kilometre range and a speed of 2.5 Mach. It can intercept a host of airborne threats such as fighter aircraft, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles.

Looking to the future, the next-generation Akash missile, known as Akash NG, is also ready for deployment. This advanced variant significantly extends its engagement envelope to 70–80 kilometres and is equipped with radar technology capable of tracking over 60 targets simultaneously from up to 150 kilometres away, guiding interceptors precisely into the kill zone.