Akash Prime Missile

Current Context: India successfully tested the Akash Prime air‑defence missile system in high‑altitude Ladakh, destroying two unmanned high‑speed aerial targets at over 15,000 feet.

 ABOUT AKASH PRIME

• Developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)
• It is an upgraded version of the indigenous Akash Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) system
• Specially designed to operate in extreme weather, high-altitude regions (above 4,500 metres), and low-oxygen conditions

 FEATURES OF AKASH PRIME

• Medium-range surface-to-air missile
• Protects mobile, semi-mobile, and static military installations from aerial threats
• Equipped with an indigenous Radio Frequency seeker to lock on to targets in the final flight phase
• Range: Around 25–30 kilometers
• Improved reliability in low-temperature environments
• Developed based on feedback from the Indian Armed Forces
• Provides air defence cover for vital and sensitive areas in high-altitude zones