India shelves missile system.

Red aRRow

Forum Bouncer
India to shelve second anti-aircraft missile: report
Sun Aug 17, 5:18 AM ET


NEW DELHI (AFP) - India is set to shelve the development of a second anti-aircraft missile because delays have led to escalating costs and technical problems, a report has said.


According to the Hindustan Times, the homegrown medium-range surface-to-air Akash (Sky) missile was supposed to give the army air cover, by eliminating enemy aircraft and missiles, and protect the air force's vital defence capabilities.


But delays in its development have made the 25 kilometre-range (15 mile) missile prohibitively expensive and the Indian army has already begun to look for alternatives in the international market, the report said Sunday.


One Akash under development, which comprised four missile batteries, was pegged at 9 billion rupees (187.5 million dollars) in 1985 but had escalated to a current cost of 20 billion rupees (416 million dollars), the report said.


Besides the steep price tag, technical problems also impeded the progress of Akash, the report said.


The missile's radar, meant to detect enemy targets and lock missiles onto them, covers only a 90 degree swathe. This means it cannot track enemy aircraft approaching from different directions at the same time, the report said.


Another problem was the limited speed of the missile which is about Mach 3, useful to target enemy aircraft but not enough for missiles, which travel at more than three times that speed, the report said.


According to the defence ministry, the Akash can carry a 50 kilogram (110 pound) warhead and can simultaneously track several targets.


But the report said the missile's response to unknown, multiple targets is in doubt because it had only been tested on known, single targets.


Though a final series of trials are scheduled for June 2004, the military does not see Akash being inducted, the report added.


Last month, reports said India's defence ministry had shelved plans to develop a short-range surface-to-air Trishul (Trident) missile due to technical glitches.


The Trishul, India's version of the US-made Patriot, was powered by a solid fuel engine and configured to deliver a 15-kilogram (33-pound) warhead up to nine kilometres (five miles) away.


Both missiles are among five developed by India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) since 1983.




LINK HERE
 

gf0012-aust

Grumpy Old Man
Staff member
Verified Defense Pro
The missile's radar, meant to detect enemy targets and lock missiles onto them, covers only a 90 degree swathe. This means it cannot track enemy aircraft approaching from different directions at the same time, the report said.


Another problem was the limited speed of the missile which is about Mach 3, useful to target enemy aircraft but not enough for missiles, which travel at more than three times that speed, the report said.


According to the defence ministry, the Akash can carry a 50 kilogram (110 pound) warhead and can simultaneously track several targets.
This doesn't make sense to me at all. Any surface to air system that has a mach 3 closing speed is useful as part of an integrated EAD system.

Especially if you have real time mapping of your environment you can use use it as part of an overlap on fast movers.
It would be lethal on helicopters and transports. If the sensor discrimination is effective then it can be ised on UAV's/TAUV's/UCAV's\
 
Top