Akash Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) System
DEVELOPER
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)
OPERATORS
Indian Air Force and Indian Army
START OF DEVELOPMENT
1983
FIRST PRODUCTION
September 2012
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missiles each, all of which are interconnected. It also has battery level radar known as Rajendra, as well as a battery control centre. It can track and attack multiple targets concurrently. A self-destructive device is also integrated into the missile.
The Akash system protects a moving procession of vehicles using an electronic counter countermeasures (ECCM) system. Akash was also tested in ballistic missile role and offers air defence missile coverage of 2,000km².
Flexible deployment and multitarget area defence capabilities of Akash
Akash missiles are designed to be launched from static or mobile platforms such as battle tanks and wheeled trucks, providing flexible deployment. It can handle multiple targets and destroy manoeuvring targets, including unmanned aerial vehicles, fighter aircraft, cruise missiles and missiles launched from helicopters.
The missile is capable of destroying aircraft within the range from 30km to 35km, and at altitudes up to 18,000m. It renders multidirectional and multi-target area defence. It can carry conventional and nuclear warheads weighing up to 60kg. The integration of nuclear warhead allows the missile to destroy aircraft and warheads released from ballistic missiles. It can operate in all weather conditions.
Development timeline and tests at the Integrated Test Range in Chandipur
Development of the Akash missile began in 1983. The maiden trial firings were carried out in 1990. Developmental trials were conducted until March 1997. The missile was demonstrated for target interception capability against two live aerial targets in November 2005. A total of 16 trial firings were conducted by August 2006.
The test firing of the Akash for the IAF was carried out at the ITR in Chandipur in December 2007. The IAF rolled out its indigenous SAM system in 2008 upon completion of nine successful field trials.
Development of an advanced version, Akash MK-II, began in June 2010. The MK-II version is expected to be ready for user trials by 2018.
The first Akash SAM production model for the Indian Army successfully destroyed a target in receding ting mode during two flight trails in February 2014.
The Indian Army conducted a test flight of the Akash missile against a mini unmanned fast-moving Banshee aerial vehicle at an altitude of 30m above sea level from the ITR in Chandipur in June 2014.
Rajendra radar details and propulsion of the DRDO’s missile system
The air force version of the Rajendra radar is capable of tracking 64 targets within a range of 60km in range, azimuth and height.
The army variation of the Akash uses the Rajendra radar, which can track 40 targets in range and azimuth with a tracking range up to 100km.
The 3D central acquisition radar (CAR) is long-range surveillance radar that warns the GCC by tracking 200 targets in track while scan (TWS) mode from a tracking range of 150km. It measures azimuth, range and height of targets, and transmits to the GCC via communication links.
The GCC sends the target position information to the battery level radar (Rajendra).
The Akash is powered by Ramjet-rocket propulsion system which renders thrust for the missile to intercept the target at supersonic speed without any retardation.
Key players involved with India’s Akash (sky) SAM development project
Akash can fly at supersonic speeds ranging from Mach 2.8 to 3.5, and engage aerial targets up to a range of approximately 25km.
The kill probability of the missile is 88% and can be increased to 98.5% by launching the second missile after five seconds of launching the first.
The Akash SAM system was produced by Bharat Electronics (BEL). Bharat Dynamics (BDL) serves as nodal agency for Akash SAM production for the army.
A number of DRDO labs are involved in the development of the Akash. DRDL is responsible for system integration and missile development. LRDE Bangalore manufactured the Rajendra radar. R&DE Pune developed the launcher.
The tracked vehicles were manufactured by CVRDE. ARDE built the nuclear warhead while HEMRL produced the propellants. Launcher systems were provided by Tata Power and Larsen & Toubro.
https://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/akash-surface-to-air-missile-system/
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Aug 28, 2016
Successful Flight Testing of ISRO's Scramjet Engine Technology Demonstrator
The first experimental mission of ISRO’s Scramjet Engine towards the realisation of an Air Breathing Propulsion System was successfully conducted today (August 28, 2016) from Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR, Sriharikota.
After a smooth countdown of 12 hours, the solid rocket booster carrying the Scramjet Engines, lifted off at 0600 hrs (6:00 am) IST. The important flight events, namely, burn out of booster rocket stage, ignition of second stage solid rocket, functioning of Scramjet engines for 5 seconds followed by burn out of the second stage took place exactly as planned.
After a flight of about 300 seconds, the vehicle touched down in the Bay of Bengal, approximately 320 km from Sriharikota. The vehicle was successfully tracked during its flight from the ground stations at Sriharikota.
With this flight, critical technologies such as ignition of air breathing engines at supersonic speed, holding the flame at supersonic speed, air intake mechanism and fuel injection systems have been successfully demonstrated.
The Scramjet engine designed by ISRO uses Hydrogen as fuel and the Oxygen from the atmospheric air as the oxidiser. Today’s test was the maiden short duration experimental test of ISRO’s Scramjet engine with a hypersonic flight at Mach 6. ISRO’s Advanced Technology Vehicle (ATV), which is an advanced sounding rocket, was the solid rocket booster used for today’s test of Scramjet engines at supersonic conditions. ATV carrying Scramjet engines weighed 3277 kg at lift-off.
ATV is a two stage spin stabilised launcher with identical solid motors (based on Rohini RH560 sounding rocket) as the first as well as the second stage (booster and sustainer). The twin Scramjet engines were mounted on the back of the second stage. Once the second stage reached the desired conditions for engine “Start-up”, necessary actions were initiated to ignite the Scramjet engines and they functioned for about 5 seconds. Today’s ATV flight operations were based on a pre-programmed sequence.
Some of the technological challenges handled by ISRO during the development of Scramjet engine include the design and development of Hypersonic engine air intake, the supersonic combustor, development of materials withstanding very high temperatures, computational tools to simulate hypersonic flow, ensuring performance and operability of the engine across a wide range of flight speeds, proper thermal management and ground testing of the engines.
India is the fourth country to demonstrate the flight testing of Scramjet Engine. The successful technology demonstration of air-breathing Scramjet engines in flight by ISRO today is a modest yet important milestone in its endeavour to design and develop advanced air breathing engines including engines for ISRO’s future space transportation system.
More...
ATV 02 Liftoff Photos
https://www.isro.gov.in/update/28-a...isros-scramjet-engine-technology-demonstrator
