IAF to get SAM Akash
Defense Minister AK Antony will hand over the first batch of the indigenously designed and developed Surface-to-Air Missile, Akash, to the Indian Air Force at a function in Hyderabad on Saturday, March 3. Antony will also hand over the advanced light-weight torpedo, TAL to the Indian Navy. The Akash Weapon System (AWS) was indigenously developed by DRDO as part of the Integrated Guided Missile Developement Program (IGMDP) and is an all-weather, medium-range, Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) system. It provides multi-directional and multi-target area defense. The Akash missile can be launched from static or mobile platforms providing flexible deployment. The system can handle multiple targets and destroy manoeuvring targets such as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), fighter aircraft, cruise missiles and missiles launched from helicopters. It can operate autonomously, and engage and neutralize different aerial targets simultaneously. The Weapon System is considered as the Indian "Patri...