India Friday successfully test-fired its Akash medium-range surface-to-air missile from a defence base in Odisha for the second time in two days, an official said.

 

The indigenously-developed missile, with a 27-km range and an effective ceiling of 15 km, was test fired from the Integrated Test Range of Chandipur in the coastal district of Balasore, 230 km from Bhubaneswar.

Akash was earlier successfully tested a number of times within a week from the same defence base including one Thursday.

"The tests were carried out by the Indian Air Force from a new lot of production to prove its reliability," Test Range Director M.V.K.V. Prasad told IANS.

All the mission objectives have been met, said Prasad adding the test conducted Friday was also successful.

The 700-kg all-weather missile can carry a 60-kg warhead at speeds of up to Mach 2.5. It can operate autonomously and simultaneously engage and neutralise different aerial targets.

It can be launched from static or mobile platforms, enabling flexible deployment by the armed forces.