In a key advancement for India’s indigenous air defence capabilities, the Indian Army on Wednesday conducted successful high-altitude trials of the Akash Prime surface-to-air missile system in the Ladakh sector, according to Defence officials quoted by news agency ANI.
The trials, held at an altitude exceeding 15,000 feet, were conducted by the Army Air Defence Corps in collaboration with senior scientists from the Defence Research and Development Organisation ( DRDO), which developed the system. Officials confirmed that the missile achieved two direct hits on fast-moving aerial targets in the rarified atmosphere of the high-altitude region.
"The Akash Prime system demonstrated its operational readiness by scoring two direct hits against fast, manoeuvring target aircraft under difficult high-altitude conditions," said officials interviewed by ANI.
Designed to improve upon the original Akash system, Akash Prime is equipped with an improved seeker and can engage targets with greater precision in extreme weather and terrain.
Defence officials said the system had already performed effectively during Operation Sindoor, where it was deployed to counter aerial threats from Pakistan, including Chinese-origin aircraft and Turkish-made drones.
The successful trial marks a step forward in the planned induction of Akash Prime as part of the Indian Army’s layered air defence network. Officials noted that the third and fourth regiments of the Akash air defence system are likely to be formed using the Akash Prime variant.
The Akash Prime is part of India’s broader push for self-reliant defence production, especially in strategic domains such as air defence.
The trials, held at an altitude exceeding 15,000 feet, were conducted by the Army Air Defence Corps in collaboration with senior scientists from the Defence Research and Development Organisation ( DRDO), which developed the system. Officials confirmed that the missile achieved two direct hits on fast-moving aerial targets in the rarified atmosphere of the high-altitude region.
"The Akash Prime system demonstrated its operational readiness by scoring two direct hits against fast, manoeuvring target aircraft under difficult high-altitude conditions," said officials interviewed by ANI.
Designed to improve upon the original Akash system, Akash Prime is equipped with an improved seeker and can engage targets with greater precision in extreme weather and terrain.
Defence officials said the system had already performed effectively during Operation Sindoor, where it was deployed to counter aerial threats from Pakistan, including Chinese-origin aircraft and Turkish-made drones.
The successful trial marks a step forward in the planned induction of Akash Prime as part of the Indian Army’s layered air defence network. Officials noted that the third and fourth regiments of the Akash air defence system are likely to be formed using the Akash Prime variant.
The Akash Prime is part of India’s broader push for self-reliant defence production, especially in strategic domains such as air defence.
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