Balasore: India on May 29 successfully test fired the medium range surface-to-air missile Akash from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur, 15 km from Balasore.

The sleek missile was test fired from a mobile launcher at about 5.00 pm (IST), defence sources said.

The indigenously built sophisticated multi-target missile has a range of 25 kms and is one of the five missiles currently under various stages of development by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

The 650 kg missile has capability to carry a 50 kg payload and uses the integrated two-stage ramjet propulsion technology.

Akash, which has undergone several flight tests earlier, is close to user's trial, the sources said.

Along with the medium range anti-aircraft missile Akash, the DRDO was also developing the Rajendra radar to build a reliable air defence system, a defence scientist said.

The state-of-the-art radar could keep track of 64 aircrafts simultaneously, up to a range of 60 kms, he said.

PTI