Akash is a Short Range Surface to Air Missile system designed and developed by the DRDO for use by Armed forces for the protection of vulnerable areas and vulnerable points from adversary air attacks.

The test was carried out amid inclement weather conditions, proving the all-weather capability of the weapon system, the DRDO said.

THE Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on Friday conducted the second consecutive successful test of the new variant of the Akash Surface to Air Missile — New Generation (Akash-NG). While the test on Friday was conducted with a Radio Frequency Seeker — which is a target tracker system — the test two days ago was conducted without it, said DRDO officials.

The test on Friday morning, which was carried out at 11.45 am from the Integrated Test Range in Chandipur, off the Odisha coast, was carried out against a high-speed unmanned aerial target which was successfully intercepted by the missile. The flight test validated the functioning of the complete weapon system consisting of the missile with indigenously developed RF (Radio Frequency) Seeker, Launcher, Multi-Function Radar and Command, Control and Communication system.