Close on the heels of the two successful tests of the surface-to-air missile Akash, India on Tuesday conducted one more test of Akash from a range in Orissa state in eastern India.

The missile is crucial to India's air defense program as it will be used to counter ballistic missiles and enemy aircraft.

According to defense officials, Akash was tested for the third time Tuesday afternoon from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur near Balasore, 230 km from the state capital Bhubaneswar, at about 1 p.m. local time.

The indigenously developed Akash's upgraded version, which was test fired from a mobile launcher, has a strike range of 25 km with an effective ceiling of 18 km.

Akash, or sky, has been developed as part of India's Integrated Guided Missile Development Program (IGMDP) and was earlier fired from a mobile launcher on Feb. 21, 24 and 26 this year from the same military base.

The missile was successfully tested on Nov. 30 last year while carrying a live warhead.

Akash has a launch weight of 700 kg and can carry a warhead of 60 kg. It is used in conjunction with the Rajendra surveillance radar being developed by the Electronic Research and Development Establishment.

The officials said the missile, being developed by the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO), had undergone several trials. The thrust of the current tests is its guidance system.

Source: Xinhua