India successfully flight tests Akash-NG missile

New Delhi successfully tests new Akash-NG missile, boosting India's military prowess with a range of 80 km.

India on January 12, 2024, successfully flight-tested a new generation Akash-NG missile off the coast of Odisha, in a major boost to the country's military prowess.

The missile was test-fired from the integrated test range in Chandipur at 1030 hours, the defence ministry said.

It said the flight test was conducted against a high-speed unmanned aerial target at very low altitude and the successful firing of the weapon system has paved the way for its user trials.

Akash-NG has a range of around 80 km.

"During the flight test, the target was successfully intercepted by the weapon system and destroyed," the ministry said in a statement.

"It has validated the functioning of the complete weapon system consisting of the missile with indigenously developed radio frequency seeker, launcher, multi-function radar and command, control and communication system," it said.

The system performance was also validated through data captured by a number of radars, telemetry and electro-optical tracking systems, the ministry said.