Indian Air Force places Rs1,200-crore order for Akash SAM system

12 January 2009

Bangalore: In a significant development for the country's indigenous missile development effort, the Indian Air Force has finally placed an order worth Rs1,200 crore for the supply of two squadrons of the medium range, surface-to-air Akash  missiles with Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL). The order comes hot on the heels of a $260 million order for the supply of 18 SPYDER Low Level Quick Reaction Missile systems with Israeli firm Rafael.

The Rs. 1,200-crore order also comes some 14 months after field trials at the Pokhran test range in Rajasthan.

Developed by Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), Akash is part of India's Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme and each unit of the system is equipped with radars, mobile launchers, control centres, battlefield management software and other support systems.

The system is fully capable of taking on unmanned combat aerial vehicles, aircraft and missiles.

The 5.78-metre long, 700-kg Akash can engage targets as far away as 25 km and generate supersonic speeds of 600 metres a second.

BEL is contracted to deliver the two squadrons in 36 months and has tied up with Larsen & Toubro, Tata Power, Walchand Industries and ECIL for the supply of sub-systems.