The Akash (sky) is an all-weather medium-range anti aircraft missile system developed in India. It provides multidirectional and multitarget area defence. The missile system was indigenously developed as a part of the integrated guided-missile development programme (IGMDP). In operation from 1983 to 2007, the programme developed a range of missiles, together with the Nag, Agni and Trishul missiles and the Prithvi ballistic missile.
The Akash missile can be launched from static or mobile platforms, like battle tanks, providing flexible deployment. The SAM can handle multitarget and destroy manoeuvring targets like unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), fighter aircraft, cruise missiles and missiles launched from helicopters.
The Akash missile has a launch weight of 720kg and measures 5.8m in length, 350mm diameter and 1,105mm wingspan. The missile can fly at a speed of up to Mach 2.5 and contains a height ceiling of 18km. The 60kg payload can use prefabricated tungsten alloy cubes warheads or a nuclear warhead.
