17-07-2025
High altitude version of Akash air defence missile successfully tested in Ladakh
NEW DELHI: A high altitude variant of the Akash Prime missile, the upgraded variant of the Akash Weapon System for the Indian Army, has been successfully tested, destroying two aerial high speed unmanned targets in Ladakh on Wednesday.
The successful validation of the indigenously designed and developed Akash Prime Weapon System was carried out by the Army Air Defence and DRDO, in conjunction with defence PSUs, such as Bharat Dynamics Limited & Bharat Electronics Limited, and other industry partners.
The weapon system is customised to operate at an altitude above 4,500 metres (over 14,000 ft) and has the latest upgrades including an indigenously developed radio frequency seeker.
The trials were done as part of the First of Production Model (FoPM) firing trial and will further enable timely induction and enhance the air defence potential in high-altitude frontiers of the country.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) on Thursday said, "Based on the operational feedbacks from users, various upgrades are made to improve the operational effectiveness, demonstrating the advantage of the ecosystem created for the indigenous weapon system."
This achievement carries added significance as it follows the exceptional performance of India's indigenously developed air defence systems during Operation Sindoor.
It marks a major step forward for the nation's missile development programmes, which are now gaining increasing attention in the global defence market.
