The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Consortium formed to produce Akash

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Tuesday, Jan 08, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Consortium formed to produce Akash

The surface-to-air missile is on a par with upgraded version of Patriot of the U.S.

-Photo: Satish. H.

Brilliant minds: DRDO Chief Controller Prahlada is flanked by Akash Project Director R. R. Panyam (right) and DRDL Director P. Venugopalan in the city on Monday.

HYDERABAD: A consortium comprising public and private units has been formed for production of the indigenously built surface-to-air missile, Akash, as the final clearance for induction of the air defence weapon system is expected in a couple of months.

Bharat Electronics (Bangalore) has been identified as the nodal production agency, while Bharat Dynamics Limited (Hyderabad) will manufacture it.

Bharat Dynamics Limited (Hyderabad), Larsen & Toubro (Mumbai), Tata Power Company Limited (Mumbai) and Electronics Corporation of India Limited (Hyderabad) are the major partners.

Air Force being the major user, the medium range missile will be delivered in three years to the first two squadrons, Chief Controller, R &D, (Services Interaction), DRDO Prahlada told a news conference here on Monday.

Facilities in place

About 300 public and private industries would support the production of Akash and a business of Rs.5,000 crore was expected to be generated in the next ten years. Exclusive facilities for producing critical systems and sub-systems have already been set up.

Describing the indigenous development of Akash and its successful demonstration in field trials to the users - Air Force and the Army -- as a big milestone technologically, he said that it was on a par with the upgraded version of the Patriot of the United States.

Multi-target capability

Equipped with multi-target handling capability, Akash’s ram rocket propulsion provides all the way thrusting at supersonic speed till the target is intercepted.

It has the capability to outmanoeuvre a manoeuvring target and could be launched against fighter aircraft,

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), helicopter and cruise missile travelling at subsonic speed.

Delay

Admitting that the Akash project had been delayed by nine years, for it took 21 years to get ready instead of the envisaged 12 years, he said that the United States of America, France and Israel also took twenty years for developing the same class of missile.

Based on the technology of Akash, the DRDO, in collaboration with another country, had started work on the next generation LRSAM (Long Range Surface-to-Air Missile) of 70-km range.

The first flight trial of LRSAM was expected in three years.

Dr. Prahlada said the DRDO had sought permission from the Ministry of Defence to export Akash as “some countries had shown interest”.

He said: “In the next two years, we may be able to get permission.”

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