Note4Students

From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :

Prelims level : Akash MK 1S

Mains level : India's missile arsenal

• DRDO has successfully test fired AKASH-MK-1S missile from ITR , Chandipur.

AKASH Mk1S

• AKASH Mk1S is a surface to air missile which can neutralize advanced aerial targets.
• It is an upgrade of existing AKASH missile with indigenous Seeker.
• The Akash weapon system has combination of both command guidance and active terminal seeker guidance.
• The medium range multi-target engagement capable missile was developed as part of the Integrated Guided-Missile Development Programme (IGMDP) other than Nag, Agni, Trishul, and Prithvi missiles.

Specifications

• The supersonic missile has a range of around 25 km and up to the altitude of 18,000 metres.
• The missile uses high-energy solid propellant for the booster and ramjet-rocket propulsion for the sustainer phase.
• Several variants of the missile — Akash MK1, Akash-MK2 — with improved accuracy and higher ranges are under development by the DRDO.