Missile Akash
Summary
| Category | Surface-to-Air Missiles |
| Sub-type | Surface-to-air missile |
| Origin country | 🇮🇳 India |
| Manufacturer | Bharat Dynamics Limited |
| Status | In service |
| Year of service | 2009 |
| Number built | 15500 units |
| Est. avg unit price | $0.5 million |
Technical specifications
| Warhead | High-explosive fragmentation |
| Warhead weight | 60 kg (132 lb) |
| Diameter | 350 mm (13.8 in) |
| Length | 5,780 mm (227.6 in) |
| Flight altitude | 18,000 m (59,055 ft) |
| Weight | 720 kg (1,587 lb) |
| Range | 45 km (28 mi) |
| Max. speed | 3,087 km/h (Mach 3.1) |
Akash scale diagram
Description
Development of the Akash system began in 1984 as part of the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme. The first test flight was conducted in 1990, followed by developmental flights through 1997. The system entered operational service in 2009.
The missile is a mobile surface-to-air system powered by an integrated ramjet-rocket propulsion unit. This configuration uses a solid booster for launch, while the ramjet sustainer maintains supersonic speeds throughout the flight duration until interception. The missile carries a high-explosive, pre-fragmented warhead equipped with a digital radio proximity fuze and a controlled detonation sequence. The system is also described as nuclear-capable. Guidance is achieved through mid-course command guidance via datalink. Terminal guidance varies by variant; the base model utilizes command guidance, while later versions incorporate an indigenous active radio frequency seeker. The next-generation variant employs a dual-pulse solid rocket motor and active electronically scanned array radar technology. The system architecture includes a 3D phased array fire control radar capable of tracking multiple targets and guiding several missiles simultaneously.
The system is widely deployed by the Indian Air Force and the Indian Army, where it is integrated with both tracked and wheeled transport platforms. It is also operated by the Armenian Armed Forces and the Sudanese Armed Forces. Other nations, including the Philippines, the United Arab Emirates, and Egypt, have expressed interest in procurement. Brazil considered the system but ultimately removed it from consideration following evaluations of its performance against drone swarms and low-altitude threats.
In 2020, the system was deployed during border skirmishes in Ladakh. It saw combat use during the 2025 India-Pakistan conflict, specifically during Operation Sindoor, where it was utilized to intercept drones and missiles. High-altitude trials were conducted in mountainous terrain in 2025 to validate the system’s performance in rarified atmospheres. The system has also been tested for use in a missile defense role. One report noted a failure rate during specific inventory testing, though the system successfully intercepted four simultaneous targets during exercise trials in 2023.