Akash defence system ready for commercial launch

Hyderabad: Akash, India’s first indigenously developed tactical air defence system with multi directional and multi target capabilities, which is claimed to be a tad better than the upgraded Patriot missile of the US, is ready to do business.

While the Defence Acquisition Council, led by defence minister Pranab Mukherjee, is expected to clear the requisition for deployment of the Akash missile system forwarded by the Indian Airforce in a couple of months time, some countries have already expressed interest to buy the same, according to Prahlada, chief controller R&D of Defence Research and Development Organisation(DRDO).

“We expect that Akash would generate about Rs 5,000 crore business in the next 10 years,” Prahlada told the media on Monday. He said the DRDO was favourable to export these missile systems to some countries, while refusing to divulge the names of the countries that have shown interest in Akash. While the Patriot missile underwent 20 upgrades since its usage in the Gulf war, the propulsion system of Akash is still better than its counterpart, he said. About Rs 500 crore has been spent on the development of Akash.

A tactical air defence system, built around the 25-km range, Akash missile is capable of acquiring and tracking 67 targets. More importantly, it can launch up to eight missiles against four targets coming from different directions simultaneously, according to Prahlada.

These multi-directional, multi-target capabilities of the system are considered to be one of the most accomplished feat in the 21 years of effort, which involved over 1,000 scientists and engineers, 300 organisations, including 100 private sector players such as L&T and several Hyderabad-based companies.

“These missile systems can be located in large cities and industrial areas apart from other vulnerable locations, which have already been mapped by the defence establishment in the country,” Prahlada said, while explaining the utility of Akash in protecting the places in side the country against any aerial threat.

The system has already been tested 10 times in different conditions and geographical locations, where the missile came out with flying colours every time, according to RR Panyam, project director, Akash.

The first delivery and deployment of the Akash system is expected to take another three years though the public and private sector players involved with the project are fully geared up to start production.