SOURCE: AFI
In a significant demonstration of India’s growing air defense capabilities, the indigenously developed Akash Short-Range Surface-to-Air Missile (SRSAM) system has successfully shot down a Fatah-1 missile, a short-range guided artillery rocket system produced by Pakistan. The Indian Air Force (IAF) recently showcased the debris of the intercepted Fatah-1 missile alongside the Akash Air Defense System (ADS), highlighting the system’s effectiveness against low-altitude, high-speed threats. This achievement underscores the Akash Mk1’s role as a cornerstone of India’s air defense network and its ability to counter evolving regional threats.
The Fatah-1, developed by Pakistan’s National Development Complex (NDC), is a short-range guided artillery rocket system with a reported range of 140 km. Launched from a multi-tube rocket system, the Fatah-1 is designed to deliver precision strikes against ground targets, equipped with a 150 kg high-explosive warhead. Its guided nature, likely using inertial navigation with GPS correction, allows for improved accuracy over unguided rockets, posing a challenge to air defense systems due to its high speed and low-altitude flight profile. The missile’s small radar cross-section (RCS) and potential for salvo launches make it a credible threat to forward-deployed military assets.
The successful interception of the Fatah-1 missile by the Akash Mk1 unit marks a significant milestone in India’s air defense modernization. According to IAF officials, the test was conducted under simulated combat conditions, with the Fatah-1 missile launched as a target to evaluate the Akash system’s performance against low-altitude, high-speed threats. The Rajendra radar detected and tracked the incoming missile, cueing the Akash launcher to fire a single missile. The Akash missile intercepted the Fatah-1 at an altitude of approximately 5 km, well within its engagement envelope, destroying the target mid-flight.
The debris of the Fatah-1 missile, displayed alongside the Akash ADS, included fragments of the rocket’s airframe and guidance section, confirming a direct hit. This test validates the Akash system’s ability to counter guided artillery rockets, which are increasingly deployed by adversaries to overwhelm air defenses through saturation attacks. The Akash’s command guidance system, combined with its onboard seeker for terminal homing, ensures high accuracy even against small, fast-moving targets like the Fatah-1.
The interception of the Fatah-1 missile reinforces the Akash SRSAM’s role as a reliable counter to Pakistan’s evolving missile arsenal. With Pakistan reportedly increasing production of the Fatah-1 and developing longer-range variants like the Fatah-2 (250 km range), India’s air defense systems must adapt to handle larger salvoes and more sophisticated threats. The Akash Mk1, alongside the Akash-NG (30 km range) and the Medium-Range Surface-to-Air Missile (MR-SAM, 70 km range) developed with Israel, forms a multi-layered defense network capable of protecting vital installations and forward bases.
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