Balasore: India today (Mar 29, 2004) test fired medium range multi target surface-to-air missile Akash twice from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur, about 13 km from Balasore, official sources said.

The indigenously built sophisticated Akash missiles were test flown from separate mobile launchers at about 3.55 PM and 3.57 PM respectively.

With a range of 25 km, Akash is one of the five missiles currently under various stages of development by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

The DRDO is developing medium range anti-aircraft missile Akash and the Rajendra radar to build a reliable air Defence shield with the help of two-weapon system, the sources said.

The state-of-the-art radar, Rajendra can keep track of 64 aircraft simultaneously with various ranges.

The 650 kg missile, Akash is capable of carrying 50 kg payload and uses an integrated two-stage ramjet propulsion technology.